Hit-and-run driver kills El Paso man next to EPCC Valle Verde
El Paso police search for hit-and-driver who killed Jesus Fernando Perez, 52, on North Loop Drive next to EPCC Valle Verde on March 21, 2025.
Provided by Crime Stoppers of El Paso
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Daniel Torres, 42, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the shooting death of Alfredo Morales.
Torres pleaded guilty to manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The shooting occurred outside Cazadores Cantina in South-Central El Paso in 2021.
A New Mexico man was sentenced to prison in the 2021 fatal shooting outside a South-Central El Paso bar.
Judge Sam Medrano of the 409th District Court sentenced Daniel Torres, 42, of La Union, New Mexico, on March 27 to 25 years in prison for the fatal Oct. 15, 2021, shooting of 28-year-old Alfredo Morales, El Paso District Attorney’s Office officials said in a news release.
Torres was sentenced to 25 years in prison on one count each of manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The sentences will be served concurrently, court records show. The sentencing took place at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.
Torres pleaded guilty to the charges the same day as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. As part of the plea agreement, Torres waived his appellate rights, according to the news release.
More: El Paso police arrest NM man on murder charge in fatal shooting outside Cazadores Cantina
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Torres had previously been convicted twice of felony theft. He was sentenced to four years in prison each time on those charges, according to the news release.
Torres kills Morales during shoot-out outside South-Central El Paso bar
The shooting happened about 12:20 a.m. Oct. 15, 2021, outside Cazadores Cantina at the corner of Durazno Avenue and Copia Street in South-Central El Paso.
Jorge J. Garcia Reyes, 36, and another person were leaving the bar when Garcia and Morales got into an argument, El Paso Police Department officials said.
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Morales allegedly took out a gun and shot Garcia once in the chest. Torres pulled out a gun and shot Morales several times, killing him before fleeing the scene, police said.
Garcia was taken to University Medical Center of El Paso for treatment. The severity of Garcia’s injuries was never disclosed by police.
A police investigation identified Torres as the shooter. An arrest warrant was issued for Torres.
A U.S Marshals fugitive task force arrested Torres Nov. 5, 2021, in La Union, police said.
More: South-Central El Paso bar closed after county attorney alleges habitual criminal activity
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Torres was held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center until Nov. 10, 2021, when he was extradited to El Paso. He remained jailed on a $1 million bond as his case remained pending in district court, jail logs show.
Cazadores Cantina’s liquor permit was suspended soon after the shooting by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The El Paso County Attorney’s Office temporarily shut down the bar in 2023, claiming “habitual criminal activity” was occurring at the bar. The bar was reputedly known for prostitution and as a Barrio Azteca hangout, county attorney’s office officials said in 2023.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
NM FAST (New Mexico Federal and State Technology) is now accepting applications for a free space-sector accelerator cohort designed to help New Mexico-based technology companies compete for federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The cohort targets founders and researchers pursuing grants from NASA, Space Force and related federal agencies, with programming set to launch July 21.
The cohort will admit six to 10 New Mexico companies and run for 10 to 12 weeks, meeting in weekly sessions of approximately one and a half to two hours. Programming covers the full arc of federal commercialization strategy, including space-sector SBIR/STTR opportunities and federal funding pathways, proposal development for technical narratives and commercialization components, federal procurement positioning and agency discovery, capital strategy and follow-on funding options, and transition planning from Phase I to Phase II awards. Participants also receive targeted one-on-one advisory support throughout the program. The cohort is offered at no cost to accepted companies.
The program is open to companies at both the pre-award and early-award stages. The majority of cohort seats are designed for Phase 0 companies preparing to submit Phase I SBIR/STTR applications to NASA or Space Force. A limited number of seats are available for Phase I awardees working toward Phase II readiness and Phase III transition planning.
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“New Mexico has a deep base of research and a growing pipeline of founders ready to translate that work into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. “This cohort focuses specifically on the space sector, pairing New Mexico companies with Larta’s expertise in SBIR and STTR commercialization to give founders a clear, structured path from early-stage research to federal award.”
Larta Institute, NM FAST’s commercialization partner for this program, will lead the full design and delivery of the accelerator curriculum. Larta has supported startups that have collectively raised more than $23.7 billion since 1993 and brings that track record to founders working in New Mexico’s growing aerospace and space technology sector.
The cohort aligns with the aerospace priority sector named in the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant and is relevant to companies working at the intersection of advanced computing, bioscience and advanced energy applications in space-related contexts.
NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide, serving founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos and rural communities across New Mexico. Over more than a decade of programming, NM FAST has supported more than 470 New Mexico startups and helped companies secure nearly $28 million in federal SBIR awards. Targeted outreach is directed to rural, women, veteran and minority entrepreneurs.
The program is sponsored by the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Technology and Innovation Office through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant, which supports continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors.
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Applications are open now and will be accepted through July 14, 2026. Interested companies can apply at forms.gle/CqSwEL7LahqB5pGu9. Space is limited, and selected companies will be notified before the program launch.
SANTA FE, N.M. – Santa Fe County and Edgewood approved a new agreement and ordinance that secures ongoing fire and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
According to a joint announcement from the Town of Edgewood and Santa Fe County on June 19, the two governments negotiated and adopted a new Joint Powers Agreement and ordinance to keep the Santa Fe County Fire Department serving the town.
County and town representatives drafted the agreement together. The town adopted the ordinance unanimously at a special meeting on June 16, putting an end to weeks of uncertainty.
Santa Fe County District 3 Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said, “I believe we are all relieved to know that the people of Edgewood will continue to have the fire and EMS services necessary to protect their homes, their families, and their community. This community deserves nothing less.”
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The announcement said the ordinance takes effect five days after final publication. The statement also said no further action or approval is needed to guarantee continued fire suppression, fire prevention, and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
Both governments noted the agreement will continue indefinitely unless either side ends it with five years’ notice.
