Three Arrested In Las Cruces Murder LAS CRUCES (krwg) - Las Cruces Police have arrested two men and a woman believed to be responsible for this past weekend's murder and a third man who allegedly helped one of the suspects commit another violent felony early Tuesday morning.

Shawn J. Barela, 21, and Ernest Bloberg Jr., 34, and 24-year-old Rose Hinojosa are each charged with an open count of murder in Saturday's death of 31-year-old Roy Daniel Santos. Barela and Bloberg were arrested Wednesday evening while Hinojosa was detained today.

Brian I. Leaf, 29, was arrested Wednesday and, along with Bloberg, is charged with attempted armed robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy for their involvement in a Tuesday morning incident involving one gunshot being fired.

Detectives learned that on Saturday evening Barela, Bloberg and a 14-year-old girl were riding around Las Cruces in a 2003 white Oldsmobile Alero driven by Hinojosa. Sometime after 9 p.m. the four went to a smoke shop on West Picacho Avenue with the intent of robbing it. Detectives learned that the four decided not to rob the store because it had too many customers at the time.

About an hour later the four drove to near the Subherbia Smoke Shop on Solano Drive where Santos worked. Barela and Bloberg exited the vehicle and went to the store. One of them fired a shot at Santos before they ran back to the car, jumped in and directed Hinojosa to drive away from the area.

Hinojosa drove Barela to his apartment on Parkview Drive and dropped off Bloberg at the Teakwood Inn on South Valley Drive.

Detectives determined that the gunshot that killed Santos was fired through the rear passenger-side window of his 1993 Chevy Caprice and struck his right shoulder. Detectives believe that, after being shot, Santos fled the store's parking lot driving west on May Avenue, crashed into a parked car near Martinez Street and rolled his Caprice.

Santos was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

While investigating Saturday's homicide Las Cruces Police learned of an attempted armed robbery involving Bloberg and Leaf that allegedly occurred Tuesday morning near Utah Avenue and Chaparro Street.

In that case Bloberg is alleged to have fired one shot into a parked car where Leaf was arguing with a woman and attempting to steal her money. Detectives determined that Bloberg and Leaf had conspired to steal money and drugs from the woman. The woman was not injured and did not immediately report the shooting to police.

Detectives received an anonymous tip on Wednesday that led them to Barela's, Bloberg's and Hinojosa's involvement in the Santos murder. Detectives subsequently made the connection to Bloberg's and Leaf's participation in Tuesday's incident.

Barela, Bloberg and Leaf were arrested Wednesday evening as multiple warrants were served at their respective homes. Hinojosa was arrested on Thursday.

LCPD detectives were assisted in this investigation by patrol, traffic and Gang Task Force officers; the department's SWAT, Hostage Negotiation, Targeting Neighborhood Threats and K-9 teams; and by agents from Metro Narcotics.

No charges have been filed at this time against the 14-year-old girl who accompanied Barela, Bloberg and Hinojosa on Saturday evening. Detectives are continuing their investigation and additional charges are possible.

Barela, Bloberg and Hinojosa are being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center on $1 million bonds while Leaf is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond.


© Copyright 2012, krwg