On August 13, 2017, 42-year-old Lawrence Dennis Chavez Jr. was fatally shot in his father's residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. in the South Valley area. According to his father, Lawrence Chavez Sr., three individuals—Angelina Weaver, 28, Dale Koch, 39, and an unidentified man—arrived at their home. An argument ensued, during which Koch allegedly fired multiple shots at Chavez Jr., who reportedly pleaded, 'not in front of my dad,' before being killed.
The motive behind the murder is believed to be connected to a 2015 homicide case involving the death of Domitrique Shepard in Valencia County. Weaver's boyfriend, Adrian Maestas, had been indicted for Shepard's murder. Weaver suspected that Chavez Jr. had implicated her and Maestas in the 2015 homicide. Investigators revealed that Weaver had a phone conversation with Maestas the day before Chavez Jr.'s death, expressing her shock and betrayal, stating, 'I thought he was one of us.'
Following the shooting, both Weaver and Koch were apprehended and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and other related crimes. The third individual present during the incident was arrested on unrelated felony warrants, and authorities have not released his identity pending further investigation into his involvement.
In the aftermath of their arrest, Weaver and Koch were released under New Mexico's bail reform guidelines, which assess defendants' risk levels to determine pretrial release conditions. The Arnold Foundation's Pretrial Risk Assessment tool determined that they were not a danger to the community or a flight risk, leading to their release on their own recognizance.
The tragic death of Lawrence Chavez Jr. underscores the complexities and potential repercussions of criminal associations and the challenges faced by the justice system in balancing public safety with legal reforms.
