But they didnt begin deliberating until Monday because of the late hour. In the fall of 2009, he transferred to the Property Crimes Division. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez clutches a rosary before being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Levi Chavez came back the following week and did exactly that. This included partnerships with the schools, teachers and laws enforcement with a focused presentation of alcohol awareness to students. For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. "She received multiple stab wounds." That witness, Rose Slama, also testified that she told Levi Chavez about his wifes allegations. I wasnt worried.. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Heather Chavez said that, despite the appearance given in the text she sent Levi about taking his last name and more than 400 calls between the two from Oct. 8, 2007 to Dec. 12 of that year they did not begin a sexual relationship until late November or early December.. Garcia said she couldnt find any identifiable prints on either the Glock, the magazine or any of the bullets she examined. Based on my experience the magazine release had to be depressed after that firing sequence was completed, he said. https://www.cabq.gov/police/our-department, https://www.cabq.gov/police/images/chief-harold-medina_6798-8x10.jpg, Documents Related to APD Settlement Agreement, Documents Related to APD's Settlement Agreement, McClendon v. City of Albuquerque Settlement, Legal Notice: Destruction of Unclaimed Property, Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog Reduction Project. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. Jones showed Heather Chavez crime scene photos from Teras death scene and told her people were worried about her. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez, right, gets a hug from his attorney David Serna after the jury in the murder trial against him returned a verdict of not guilty on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Radosevich said it would, but added several times that releasing the magazine required a deliberate, intentional action. Levi Chavezs attorney, David Serna, will begin his cross-examination of Brookreson on Monday. Levi Chavez, in a surprise move, testified in his own defense. John enjoyed horseback riding with his sons and best friend and cousin On March 16, 2012 we broke the story (READ IT HERE) about how APD's current Deputy Chief Allen Banks was caught lying while under a sworn oath to tell the truth when he was testifying in the labor hearing involving former APD officer Russell Perea. stream Heather Chavez's Phone Number and Email. (Greg Sorber/Journal), Defense attorney David Serna speaks to reporters outside the Sandoval County Courthouse on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, after his client Levi Chavez was found not guilty of murdering his wife Tera Chavez in October 2007. New Mexico weavers keeping tradition alive, 1 injured in Bernalillo County deputy-involved crash, Mortgage rates have little reason to fall in March. Albuquerque Community Connect Camera Registry and Integration. Tera Chavez died on 22nd October 2007 at Los Lunas, New Mexico, United States, she was 26 years old during her time of death and according to the report she died from a gunshot wound from her husband's service weapon. endobj At issue is testimony that the magazine in the pistol was unseated after Teras body was found and what that means to the case. Extramarital Affairs Take Center Stage in Ex-Cop Murder Trial }, When asked by reporters for his reaction after the verdict, Levi Chavez said Im not surprised. Heather Chavez said she was helping move Tera Chavez's items out of the Los Lunas home in the weeks after the funeral. When a shot is fired, provided the magazine is locked in place (also called seated), the semiautomatic pistol then automatically pulls another bullet from the magazine and loads it into the guns chamber. The following article appeared on page A1 of the Tuesday, June 2, 2013 edition of the Albuquerque Journal. Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. They included Levi Chavezs mother, the APD officer who was sharing a police car with Chavez the weekend Tera died (that officer testified with a promise of immunity after trying to exert his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination to stay off the stand) two nationally known experts on crime scene reconstruction and firearms and a suicidologist, who said Tera had several of the risk factors associated with someone headed toward suicide. The Attorney Generals office said this crackdown is on the more violent offenders and they know who they are. Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering. They are very private, and we just didnt pal around together.. Chavez was accused of killing his wife in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal), Levi Chavez, center, leaves the Sandoval County Courthouse on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, after he was found not guilty of murdering his wife Tera Chavez in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. His philosophy was to help improve public trust and community partnerships. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. In 2007, Medina was promoted to the Lieutenant rank and remained there for 2 years. Levi Chavez has admitted to having girlfriends while he was married, including APD officer Heather Hindi, whom he married within days of her divorce from another APD officer Despite being sued by the city of Rio Rancho for reimbursement for his police certification costs, Schultz hires Chavez even after strong arguments by APD Academy personnel objecting to his hiring. Our Department City of Albuquerque . De-extinction is a, Roundhouse Roundup: Paramilitary rules, youth parole, BCSO: Kids were living in dirty home containing drugs, Gun safety bill passes Senate, faces one more hurdle, Hobbs woman sentenced for stealing car with kids, Roswell PD: Woman steals, drives wrong-way to get, Case dismissed for teen accused of taking gun to, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. Brookreson testified there also were several Web searches for Jones. In case you missed it, here's a repeat of a major event that is unfolding in the Levi Chavez trial. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. She lives with her family in Phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. (a.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",n,!1),e.addEventListener("load",n,!1)):(e.attachEvent("onload",n),a.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===a.readyState&&t.readyCallback()})),(n=t.source||{}).concatemoji?c(n.concatemoji):n.wpemoji&&n.twemoji&&(c(n.twemoji),c(n.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings); window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. Levi Chavez cried at the defense table while his mother testified. Repeatedly throughout the trial and again on Thursday Serna has said Levi Chavez had last been in Los Lunas on Oct. 19. One of Levi Chavezs lovers who was also a client of Teras at the Los Lunas Style America salon testified that Tera told her the truck hadnt really been stolen. Levi Chavez was working as a police officer in October 2007 when he allegedly shot and killed Tera Chavez in the bed of their Los Lunas home with his police revolver. (Greg Sorber/Journal). We can help with your case! 72 0 obj State District Judge George P. Eichwald essentially gutted that theory when he barred Farrellys testimony after a motion from Serna. A female juror spoke with reporters about 45 minutes after the verdict was read in the courtroom. LeviChavezLaw . Self Service Car Washes Near Me, Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Chavez and family gathered to pray a "Hail Mary" until Serna grabbed Chavez by the arm to escort him through a crowded pathway of supporters and family members. Following the verdict, emotional family members of Tera Chavez were quickly escorted out of Sandoval District Court, the result of an edict from state District Judge George Eichwald who sought to ease tensions between the two families. He has pled not guilty. Detectives say Chavez wanted his wife dead because she threatened to reveal he staged the theft of a truck so he can collect insurance money. Master Police Officer 1C at City of Albuquerque. Where does medical cannabis go from here? Heather A Pratt-chavez - 1437355773 Profile Details Heather A Pratt-chavez is a physician based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and her medical specialization is Pediatrics . Levi Chavez's current wife takes the stand - KOAT Mailing Address P.O. Jones was the lead investigator handling the death of Tera Chavez for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. But the trial, which began two weeks ago, has offered more stories of affairs within the Albuquerque Police Department. HE HAD TO WATCH HIS PARENTS PASSED AWAY. During his time with Party Patrol he focused on decreasing illegal sales to underage youth. He had to watch his parents pass away and they never had closure so they never knew what happened to Carla. Serna will begin putting defense witnesses on the stand today. Romero says Chavez was with her for part of the weekend when his wife was shot. She said a lot of the jurys discussion centered around testimony and evidence involving the gun that killed Tera Levi Chavezs department-issued Glock 9 mm pistol. Heather Chavez (@heather_chav) Instagram photos and videos That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. But Romero said she never knew about her sons infidelity only that he and Tera were having problems., Your email is safe with us, we dont spam, Romero testified that she had regrets about guilting and coercing her son to remain married to Tera even though the two shouldve been divorced many years ago.. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. First on the witness stand was Rita Romero, Levi Chavezs mother, who often testified through sobs as she told defense attorney David Serna how much she loved her former daughter-in-law, Tera Chavez. Weve made it clear to them: Teras your mother, and she loves you,' she said of Tera and Levis children. Titleist Golf Bags 2021, Not among them was APD officer Steve Hindi, to whom Heather was married at the time. Rebecca Sarker Sister Sunetra, The City assumes no responsibility for the content of the material contained at that site or for the accuracy of any information that is found there. Portions of CA home hang over cliff after landslide, 1 killed amid turbulence event on business jet, UNM Hospital wants to know publics feedback. Her boss at the time was worried so she went to Carlas house and knocked on her door. %PDF-1.7 Heather is related to Philip P Pratt and Judith A Pratt as well as 3 additional people. Among them is likely to be Russell Perea, the former APD officer who was sharing a police vehicle with Levi Chavez on the weekend Tera Chavez died. BERNALILLO The magazine that held the bullets for Levi Chavezs APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol took center stage in a Sandoval County courtroom Monday morning as the former officers murder trial rolled into its fourth week of testimony. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. Albuquerque Police Contact City of Albuquerque Dated Nov. 14, 2007, it was from a fellow APD officer whose name, at the time, was Heather Hindi. Prosecutors alleged that he killed Tera around 1 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2007 a Sunday by creeping up on her while she was likely asleep in bed inside the couples home near Los Lunas, shoving his APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol into the back of her mouth and pulling the trigger once. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Their exhibits also included Teras diary and two notes a handwriting expert said she had written which the defense characterized as suicide notes and prosecutors described as evidence that Tera was ready to move on from her relationship with Levi Chavez all of which were found in the couples home. Other stores are installing LOT-COP Security Camera Towers to aid in this deterrence effort. Former APD officer Levi Chavez gets a hug from his wife Heather Chavez after being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Its really hard to get your pulse on shoplifting numbers because a lot of companies dont even report things to the police, Chief Medina said. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. They deliberated all day Monday and began again at about 1 p.m. today. Who Wrote She's Like The Swallow, He asked Radosevich whether it would be possible to release the magazine after shooting oneself with the gun in that position. News Break provides latest and breaking Albuquerque, NM local news, weather forecast, crime and safety reports, traffic updates, event notices, sports, entertainment, local life and other items of interest in the community and nearby Chavez's affidavit is now part of a civil rights lawsuit filed by Mary Hawkes' family against the City of Albuquerque and the local police department, according to New Mexico In Join Facebook to connect with Heather Chavez and others you may know. During his career, he was a patrol officer for 9 years. He introduced and developed several first-time programs that emphasized on outreach to local youth. NANCY: POLICE BELIEVE SOMEONE DOES KNOW WHO KILLED CARLA. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. There was no solid evidence one way or the other., During the interview, the woman got emotional. However, he conceded that it was plausible.. Download the Albuquerque Police Department's Organizational Chart. Dash Dash World Controls, Shaver had led the department for the preceding 23 years, after starting his career as a patrol officer in 1933. The Gallup New Deal Art Virtual Museum has received another big boost from the National Endowment fo 'More time for sunshine.' Former cop Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder. Dr. Chavez is affiliated with Lovelace Medical Center. Prosecutors allege that he shot his wife, Tera Chavez, through the mouth on either Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007, in the couples home near Los Lunas and tried to make her death look like a suicide. NOBODY THUS FAR HAS HAD TO PAY FOR THIS CRIME. Her boss at the time was worried so she went to Carlas house and knocked on her door. Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering. His much-anticipated testimony did not appear to help either side, as Perea said that he couldnt be sure where Levi Chavez was for the entirety of the two swing shifts. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. ) . Titleist Golf Bags 2021, Levi M. Chavez, II, Esq. On cross-examination, Serna asked Garcia only one question: You didnt come to any professional conclusions that any of the surfaces you examined had been wiped clean, did you?, She replied: I could not determine that.. I didnt answer the call, Heather Chavez said. Who Wrote She's Like The Swallow, ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - The family of 33-year-old Erika Chavez, the Albuquerque woman who died in a car crash, said their lives will never be the same. endobj In an indictment filed in April 2011 that charges Levi Chavez with first-degree murder and evidence tampering, prosecutors say he killed Tera in the couples home near Los Lunas on Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? View the Department Summary Sworn Personnel (as of July 29, 2022). gtag('config', 'UA-177193517-1'); Levi was initially charged Jason Chavez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "What did I tell you?" University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what their health needs are' in order to prioritize resources. The city of Albuquerque already has paid Teras family $230,000 to settle claims against itself and APD in the civil case.