New Mexico
New Mexico Supreme Court upholds conviction in 2018 death of 2-year-old girl
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — The New Mexico Supreme Court upheld a child abuse conviction on Monday of a Las Cruces man who was found guilty of killing a two-year-old girl in 2018.
In 2023, a jury found Lalo Castrillo guilty of abusing two-year-old Faviola Rodriguez to death. Rodriguez was left in Castrillo’s care by the toddler’s mother, Saundra Gonzales, who had left for work. An autopsy revealed that Rodriguez sustained blunt-force trauma to her head and body.
According to the state Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday, it unanimously rejected arguments made by Castrillo that there was not enough evidence for the jury to find that he caused the death of Rodriguez.
Castrillo had requested that the district court grant him a new trial based on newly discovered evidence, a photo the child’s mother posted on social media after the trial, which showed the child with a bruise on her head.
At a hearing on the request, the justices noted that the photo in question was taken six months before the child’s death
“Because the photo was taken months before both Victim’s death and the two earlier injuries Defendant claims caused her death, we conclude that the evidence was not material and therefore that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Defendant’s motion for a new trial,” the Court wrote.
As a result, the state Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Castrillo for intentional child abuse resulting in the death of Rodriguez and denied the request for a new trial.
During the 2023 trial, a doctor with the office of the medical investigator testified that a combination of blunt injuries to the head caused Rodriguez’s death.
“Here, the State presented medical evidence such that a reasonable juror could find that the acute blunt force injuries Victim suffered were inflicted while she was in Defendant’s exclusive care and that the injuries were not accidental,” the Court stated in the decision written by Justice Briana H. Zamora. “Two witnesses testified that on the day she was injured, Victim had no visible bruises or other signs of injury before she was left alone with Defendant.”
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New Mexico
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Seniors at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center say broken air conditioning has left the gym above 80 degrees during peak summer heat.
Angi Gonzales Carver said she goes to the center almost every day and now worries the heat could cancel classes for seniors, adults and kids.
The city said three HVAC roof units at the center need replacement. The city said those units are 20 years old and crews have put in one portable cooler and two fans for now.
“I have a temperature measure, and it was 88 and that was without people,” said Angi Gonzales Carver.
Carver says the center recently posted a warning sign saying staff will cancel classes and activities if the gym gets hotter than 78 degrees.
“A lot of them have to sit down and they’re they’re fanning themselves,” said Carver.
The city considers all multigenerational centers cooling centers, including Manzano Mesa. The city says it plans to add two more portable units next week while it works to restore the air conditioning.
“I mean, we, as seniors, we deserve better,” said Carver.
The City’s statement
A city spokesperson gave the following statement regarding the HVAC situation:
“The City is carrying out a planned replacement of the three HVAC roof units at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, which are 20 years old. Portable cooling units support the gym and two additional portable units will be installed next week. All other areas of the facility remain fully air-conditioned and operational.”
Acres: 7,769 acres
Start Date: June 9, 2026
Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM
Personnel: 169
Containment: 100%
Cause: Lightning
Summary: Containment lines are holding, and much of the repair work is completed on the Bear Fire. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team will transfer command of the fire back to the Gila National Forest and a Type 4 Incident Commander on Wednesday morning. Firefighters will continue to patrol and secure the perimeter while repair is completed.
Remarking on the success of firefighters on the Bear Fire, Incident Commander Marcus Cornwell said, “The support from the State of New Mexico Forestry Division, local landowners, and the Village of Quemado were instrumental in helping suppress the fire. Providing firefighters access to private land and use of Quemado High School proved pivotal.”
This will be the last daily update provided by the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team. Any future updates for the Bear Fire will come from the Gila National Forest.
Weather: Today’s high temperature will be in the mid 80s. Moisture moving in from the south will improve relative humidity and drop temperatures slightly. The forecast shows daily chances of thunderstorms through Friday.
Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place through this evening. If you fly, we can’t! The Gila National Forest enacted an Area Closure Order for the Bear Fire.
Evacuations: Catron County Emergency Management lifted SET status for residences within zones 2, 3 and 4 on Thursday, June 18th. For more information about the change in evacuation status, visit Catron County Emergency Management.
Smoke: Smoke may be visible in and around surrounding communities. Air quality will vary based on fire activity, weather, and wind patterns. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activity when smoke is present and check the Air Quality Index before recreating or working outdoors. Sensitive groups should take extra precautions to limit smoke exposure. For real-time smoke conditions, visit https://fire.airnow.gov.
Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and in Catron County Fire District 30.
Public Information: 2026.bear@firenet.gov
Incident Information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-bear-fire
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