On October 19, 2016, a tragic incident occurred in Berino, New Mexico, resulting in the death of 59-year-old Jose Alfredo Armendariz. Armendariz, a resident of Socorro, Texas, was working on a farm located on the 400 block of East Six Mile Road when the fatal event took place. At approximately 3 p.m., Armendariz was engaged in repairing a water pump when another man approached him and opened fire.
The gunman was identified as Sergio Meraz-Nevarez, who was a former employee of the farm
where Armendariz worked. Meraz-Nevarez had a significant connection to Armendariz, as he was under Armendariz's supervision; Armendariz was the foreman of the ranch. Recent events had likely contributed to the tension between the two men, as Meraz-Nevarez had been recently fired from his job. His wife informed investigators that Meraz-Nevarez had been told that he and his family would have to vacate their residence, which was owned by the landowner for whom he worked.
Following the shooting, Meraz-Nevarez fled the scene in his vehicle but later abandoned it in a ditch. A comprehensive search effort involving the Las Cruces Police Department K-9 units, Border Patrol agents, and officers from the Anthony Police Department led to the apprehension of Meraz-Nevarez in a nearby field. Meraz-Nevarez was subsequently taken into custody and charged with several serious offenses, including homicide, aggravated assault, shooting from a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence.
Meraz-Nevarez is currently being held at the Doña Ana Detention Center without bond. It is noteworthy that Meraz-Nevarez had been deported to Mexico in 2013 but was in the United States legally at the time of the incident. The investigation and subsequent charges highlight the severe consequences of the violent act committed by Meraz-Nevarez, which resulted in the tragic loss of Jose Alfredo Armendariz's life.
