New Mexico
KCBD Investigates: FBI report details new information in New Mexico murder, kidnapping case
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The KCBD Investigates Team has obtained court documents that provide additional details about the murder and kidnapping case in Clovis, New Mexico.
At about 4:25 p.m. on May 4, law enforcement received a call about bodies found at the Ned Houk Memorial Park in Clovis.
Law enforcement identified the women as 23-year-old Taryn Allen and 23-year-old Samantha Harley Cisneros.
Law enforcement also found Cisneros’ five-year-old daughter in critical condition with a gunshot wound to her head.
The KCBD Investigates Team confirmed she remains in critical condition at a Lubbock hospital, but we’re told she is stable.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: KCBD Investigates: Arrest warrant details suspect’s motive in Clovis kidnapping, double homicide
According to FBI Special Agent Matthew Frye’s affidavit, Allen and Cisneros were found with multiple gunshot wounds. He stated Cisneros had additional injuries to her legs and back that looked like she had been hit and dragged by a vehicle.
While at the scene, law enforcement found a baby bottle and a stroller at the park, but they could not find a baby.
Law enforcement searched Cisneros’ vehicle and found a receipt to a nearby dollar store from earlier in the day.
Officers reviewed the dollar store’s surveillance video and confirmed Cisneros’ 10-month-old daughter, Eleia Maria Torres, was with her mother and big sister that day.
Law enforcement issued an Amber Alert for Torres.
At the scene, officers reported they found 9 mm handgun casings and a sideview mirror from the driver’s side of a maroon colored Honda.
Witnesses told law enforcement they drove by Ned Houk Memorial Park between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. and said they saw a maroon car at the park and it looked like the driver was talking with the women.
Officers collected video surveillance from a McDonald’s near the park which showed a maroon Honda with a Texas license plate in the drive-thru lane around 2:40 p.m.
Officers contacted the owner of the vehicle who said he had rented the car to 26-year-old Alik Isaiah Collins through a car rental website.
The owner of the vehicle worked with law enforcement to use the car’s GPS monitoring system to track Collins.
Prior to the shooting, GPS showed the vehicle had traveled from Houston, where Collins lives, to Clovis, New Mexico.
The data also showed the vehicle at the park entrance at about 3:29 p.m.
Then, at 3:38 p.m., the vehicle left at speeds of up to 96 miles per hour, avoiding major highways as it headed east.
At 10:52 p.m., the vehicle arrived at a home in Abilene, Texas, that is about 270 miles from Clovis.
The vehicle continued to ping at that home through May 5 at 7:43 p.m.
At that point, the owner of the vehicle reported the car as stolen and remotely disabled it while it was still at the Abilene home.
The vehicle’s owner also gave law enforcement Collins’ cell phone number, which they say showed Collins to have been at the park on the day and time of the murders.
On May 5, 2024, and into May 6, 2024, law enforcement officers with the FBI and the Abilene Texas Police Department Narcotics Unit began conducting ground surveillance at the home.
At approximately 1:15 a.m. on May 6, law enforcement observed a black male pushing the maroon Honda out of the garage and into the street.
During the early morning hours of May 6, 2024, while law enforcement was preparing to execute a search warrant at the residence, they observed an Uber driver operating a Cadillac SUV arrive on the street in front of the home.
A black male, later determined to be Collins, exited the residence carrying a baby.
According to the undercover officers, Collins placed the baby on the rear passenger seat of the SUV and got into the front passenger seat.
That is when officers said Collins carjacked the Uber driver at gunpoint, and forced him out of the vehicle.
Then, officers said Collins drove away with the baby still in the car.
The Abilene Police Department reported Collins intentionally rammed into a police vehicle as they attempted to stop him.
Officers pinned the vehicle, forcing it to stop.
They took Collins into custody and recovered baby Torres who was uninjured.
Law enforcement reported finding a Glock handgun loaded with 9 mm ammunition on the floorboard of the vehicle.
The FBI confirmed Collins is not the parent, grandparent, brother, or uncle of this child, and does not have legal custody of the baby.
During this investigation, the FBI reported they had communicated with Collins last year.
The FBI reported Collins had called in September 2023 and said he wanted help finding his daughter.
During this phone call, the FBI reported he made threatening statements so they called in local law enforcement.
The FBI stayed on the phone with Collins until the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office arrived and took Collins in for a mental health evaluation.
The following month, on October 10, 2023, Collins called the FBI again and reported if law enforcement did not assist him with locating his missing five-year-old daughter, he would “start killing people and children.”
Collins stated that at one point he had kidnapped a woman and her son and then sent a picture of the kidnapped individuals to the FBI to pressure law enforcement to assist with locating his daughter.
The FBI reported Collins was intoxicated and could not provide his child’s true name but referred to her as “Rebecca.” He could not provide the child’s mother’s name either.
During these conversations, Collins said he did not have a weapon and did not intend to hurt anyone, but he made the threats to draw attention so law enforcement could help him find his daughter.
A second referral was made to local law enforcement who attempted contact with Collins but was unsuccessful.
A National Instant Criminal Background System alert was put in place to notify law enforcement if Collins attempted to purchase a firearm.
Additionally, Collins was prohibited from purchasing firearms in Texas as a result of his mental health evaluation.
At this time, the KCBD Investigates Team is working to learn how Collins got a gun.
We are also working to learn if there is any connection to Collins and the victims.
A public defender has been assigned to this case.
Loved ones of Allen and Cisneros have set up GoFundMe accounts to help pay for their funeral expenses.
According to Muffley Funeral Home’s website, Cisneros’ family is gathering at The Chapel Thursday, May 16 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Services will take place Friday, May 17 at noon with a burial following at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens in Clovis.
The website states a visitation for Allen will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Chapel located at 1500 Thornton Street in Clovis, New Mexico.
A celebration of life will follow at 6 p.m. at Hillcrest Park located at 1001 Sycamore Street.
Copyright 2024 KCBD. All rights reserved.
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- The Ruidoso Futurity and Ruidoso Derby will be run on Saturday and Sunday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino.
- The Ruidoso Derby for 3-year-olds runs on Saturday, and the Ruidoso Futurity for 2-year-olds runs on Sunday.
A big weekend of quarter horse racing is in store at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino.
The 400-yard Ruidoso Derby is slated for Saturday, June 7, for 3-year-old quarter horses and will start at 4:54 p.m. MT and is race No. 10.
The 350-yard Ruidoso Futurity is slated for Sunday, June 8, for 2-year-old quarter horses and will start at 5:10 p.m. MT and is race No. 10.
Both the Ruidoso Futurity and Ruidoso Derby are the first leg of the Triple Crown for both the 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. The Rainbow Futurity and Rainbow Derby, as well as the All American Futurity and All American Derby, will be held later in the spring/summer meet in Ruidoso.
On both Saturday and Sunday, there are 10 races and the first race begins at 1 p.m.
Ruidoso Derby post positions, horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and morning-line odds
- Hardtokatch, Juan Pulido, Cristian Alcala, JSM Quarter Horses LLC and Alcala Ranch LLC, 30-1
- FDD Dreams, Luis M. Martinez, Xavier E. Rodriguez, La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC. (Javier Rodriguez et al), 5-2
- Electrifying Cowboy, Sergio Becerra, Jr. Ramon Mendoza, Tungsten Racing Partnership (Marcelino Gonzalez et al) and Ronald L. Sugamosto, 20-1
- Little Vaquero, Fransico Calderon, Xavier E. Rodriguez, La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC. (Javier Rodriguez et al), 5-2, 5-1
- Lethal Cowboy 123, Edwin G, Escobedo, Marc E. Jungers, Caliche Walls Venture LLC, Alan Isbell, K. Lance Bland and Jimmy Barton, 15-1
- Eagle Aye, Luis Angel Flores-Garcia, Ramon Mendoza, Tungsten Racing Partnership (Marcelino Gonzalez et al) and Heysol Howlet, 15-1
- KJ Born To Be Wild, Wesley T. Giles, Noe Garcia, Jr., John and W. Kathy Lee and I. Ruben Mares, 8-1
- DAOU, Christian Cardenas, Fred Danley, J & SM, Inc. (Sue May et al), 9-2
- Stetsonn, Bryan Candanosa, Dean R. Frey, G,R. Jr. and Shaena Carter, 7-2
- Cartel Perry, Jesus Rios Ayala, Christopher O’Dell, Johnny Trotter, 10-1
Ruidoso Futurity post positions, horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and morning-line odds
- Apolitical Valor, Jacob Enriquez, Clinton Crawford, MJR Investments, Ltd. (Yolanda Rogers et al), 5-1
- Famous N Relentless, Ramiro Haro Garcia, Jason L. Olmstead, Tom Maher and Amber Olmstead, 15-1
- Allegiant Air, Ruben Castro, Trey Wood, Norman W. Allen, 20-1
- Dee Favorite Tacha, Jesse Lee levario, Ricardo G. Armendariz, Ricardo G. Armendariz, Jr. and Eric Pineda, 7-2
- Preying n Sinning, Christian Cardenas, Alberto Amparan, 93 Ranch (Jorge Vasquez et al), 15-1
- AJ Remember Me, Juan Pulido, Cristian Alcala, Corinna M. Sosa, 10-1
- Jess Cartel Blue, Ali Rivera, John Stinebaugh, Pete A. Scarmardo, 8-1
- Russ Gus, Francisco Calderon, Xavier E. Rodriguez, Daniel G. Miranda, 9-1
- Political Twist, Luis M. Martinez, Xavier E. Rodriguez, La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC and B. Ray Willis, 5-2
- Lareda, Ricky Ramirez, Trey Wood, E. Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley, 30-1
Felix Chavez’s picks for Ruidoso Futurity and Ruidoso Derby
- In the Ruidoso Futurity, I like Political Twist, who has won all three career starts, including the West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on April 5. Political Twist has great early speed and won his trial for this race by more than two lengths. Political Twist is listed at 5-2 in the morning line.
- In the Ruidoso Derby, my pick to win is Stetsonn. The Oklahoma-bred has had a wonderful 3-year-old campaign, winning three of four starts. He is the son of 2015 All American Futurity winner Jess Good Candy. If this horse breaks on top, he has a great chance to win as he has a good closing finish.
Longshots to watch in Ruidoso Futurity and Ruidoso Derby
- The longshot I like in the Ruidoso Futurity is Allegiant Air, who is listed at 20-1 in the morning line. He has won two of three career starts and ran sixth in the West Texas Futurity, where he had a troubled start.
- The longshot I like in the Ruidoso Derby is Hardtokatch. The Texas-bred didn’t run as a 2-year-old and that appears to have helped him. He has won both starts in 2025 and has shown that he can get the lead early and hold the lead throughout, plus he doesn’t have the wear and tear of a grueling 2-year-old campaign.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
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