Cop in Levi Chavez case gets job back

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Former Albuquerque police officer Russell Perea will get his job back after being fired for his alleged connection in the Levi Chavez murder case.

Perea is accused of covering for Chavez, his former partner, the night Chavez allegedly murdered his wife, Tera Chavez, back in 2007.

In August Perea was indeed fired by APD after they say he lied to internal affairs about what he and Levi were doing the night Tera died, they also say he lied during the civil case when Tera’s family sued Levi Chavez.

In February the city's longtime hearing officer, T. Zane Reeves sided with Perea saying he should get his job back claiming there was no proof Perea lied. Reeves also accused APD of mishandling his firing.

City attorneys wanted the personnel board to not only keep Perea out of the department, but to fire Reeves for bias.

The board did not agree and sided with Perea.

"I hope the City of Albuquerque in their infinite wisdom, does not go back and waste a bunch of taxpayer dollars filing a frivolous appeal," said Perea's attorney Sam Bregman.

An attorney for APD maintains they were right to fire Perea, and they are considering appealing the board's decision.