New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, along with McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano III, Valencia County Sheriff Denise Vigil, and Santa Fe Chief of Police Paul Joye, has launched a Cold Case Unit at the New Mexico Department of Justice. This unit will focus on unsolved homicide and sexual assault cases.
The Cold Case Unit is operational and collaborates with law enforcement agencies statewide. Torrez encourages public and agency cooperation with the unit. Forensic genetic genealogy is being used to generate new leads.
The New Mexico Department of Justice has taken on six cases from various parts of the state. The Cold Case Unit, which includes three full-time law enforcement agents, is investigating these cases. The cases range from the 1980s to the 2010s.
During the press conference, three victims from the six cold cases under investigation were mentioned. These victims are Erilaina Chavez of McKinley County, found shot on the road in 2017; Annie Tapia of Santa Fe, found dead at her workplace in 1995; and Jack Elkins of Valencia County, a former sheriff found shot at his home in 1992.