In the summer of 2019, the life of 37-year-old Hispanic male, Rojelio Velasquez, was tragically cut short in Hobbs, New Mexico. On the evening of July 8th, a call reporting a deceased person led Hobbs police to a residence in the 1600 block of North Coleman. Inside, they discovered the bodies of Rojelio Velasquez and a 40-year-old woman, Chrystal Moore. Both had suffered fatal gunshot injuries.
The scene within the house told a grim story of violence.
Velasquez was found on a couch, a blanket partially covering him, with a gunshot wound above his left ear. Moore was discovered on a bed nearby, also with a gunshot wound near her left ear. The home appeared to have been ransacked, and investigators found spent. 40 caliber bullet casings and bullet holes in the walls, indicating a struggle or a violent exchange. Several live rounds were also scattered throughout a hallway.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly identified two suspects: Hector Madrid, 40, of Hobbs, and Alfonso Aldaco, 25, from Lubbock, Texas. Investigators determined that the two men had gone to the residence with the intention of purchasing heroin. According to reports, shots were fired after Madrid entered the home. Surveillance video from July 7, 2019, showed various individuals coming and going from the residence. At approximately 11:38 p.m., a pickup truck arrived, and an unidentified male was seen entering the house after Velasquez answered the door.
Within days, both suspects were apprehended. With the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies in Texas, Hector Madrid was arrested on July 10th and held in the Lubbock County Jail. That same day, Alfonso Aldaco turned himself in to the Hobbs Police Department. Madrid was charged with two counts of murder, while Aldaco faced two counts of accessory to murder. Court records later showed that the charges against Madrid were amended to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. In a plea deal, Hector Madrid was sentenced to seven years in a Department of Corrections facility, with an additional three years of suspended jail time and supervised probation. He was credited with 544 days for time already served.
