New Mexico Crusaders for Justice respond to handling of Albuquerque homicide cases

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two years after her son’s dying, Sally Sanchez continues to be ready for justice.

“My son is Antonio Jaramillo,” Sanchez mentioned. “And he was murdered one week earlier than his thirty third birthday, in his own residence, December 16 of 2020.”  

Josette Otero and Sally Sanchez are cofounders of New Mexico Crusaders for Justice, a gaggle for many who have misplaced their family members to gun violence. 

“So I simply consider that, you recognize, APD is doing a hell of a job to get these individuals arrested. However then they go in entrance of a decide, they get launched on an ankle bracelet. They you recognize, arrest them. After which, right here it’s, a month later, they’re rearresting for a similar cost or worse,” Otero mentioned.

Lately, Albuquerque Police Division Chief Harold Medina introduced on-line the division had its seventieth murder suspect both in custody or charged for a murder this yr.

Otero mentioned these 70 charged or arrested by APD is an efficient begin – however for the households ready for these fees to be acted on, it’s robust. 

“Nevertheless it looks like the APD is doing their job. After which it stops proper there,” she mentioned. 

Her son Kyle Martinez was shot to dying in April 2020. His accused killer doesn’t go to trial till subsequent yr.

Melissa Hernandez isn’t from Albuquerque however she misplaced her nephew, Joshua Vigil, in December 2021 – simply exterior of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Vigil was shot to dying at a New 12 months’s Eve social gathering.

“However I feel that individuals don’t understand that this isn’t only a native problem to Albuquerque, it truly is a statewide problem,” she mentioned in regards to the gun violence plaguing the state. 

Whereas these sufferer advocates are glad to see the rising success of APD, for a lot of of them there’s nonetheless an extended street to justice.

“All I’ve is his recollections, his footage, and I’m his voice,” mentioned Otero of her 15-year-old son Kyle.