Two men shot, killed in El Cerro; person of interest in custody

Two men were shot and killed today in the El Cerro area and a woman is in custody as a person of interest, according to a press release from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office.

Identification of the victims is pending notification of their next of kin.

Shortly after noon today, Wednesday, Dec. 18, VCSO deputies responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound to the chest at the intersection of South El Cerro Loop and Inspiration Drive.

When deputies arrived they found a 61-year-old male, from Los Lunas. While they rendered aid, the man told the deputies he had been shot at a house on the 300 block of East El Cerro Loop.

He also had indicated at least one other victim was located at the home. The man was transported by AMR ambulance service to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque where he was immediately taken into the trauma Unit. He died just before 2 p.m.

Valencia County deputies, along with officers with the Los Lunas Police Department, went to the house on East El Cerro Loop and began call outs to anyone who might be in the residence.

There was no response from inside the home and at 12:55 p.m. officers forced entry into the house. A second man, 64, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

During the search of the home, a woman was found hiding in a bathroom. She was taken into custody as a person of interest in this double homicide investigation.

She was transported to the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office for questioning and further processing. At this time, VCSO is not seeking any outstanding persons of interest related to this incident.

The Office of the Medical Investigator has been dispatched to the scene. Detectives with the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, along with the New Mexico State Police Crime Scene Processing Unit and the Los Lunas Police Department Criminal Investigations Division will be working both scenes throughout the remainder of the day.

Portions of El Cerro Loop and Sandhill Road will be closed throughout the night as officers continue the scene processing. Residents are asked to seek alternate routes in the area.