ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque speeder who was sentenced for killing a father who was out teaching his daughter to drive is still on the run. Last March, Francisco Reyes Merlos was supposed to turn himself in to serve his sentence after a judge let him leave the courtroom.
“I’ve since then matured, and I’m no longer that kid from three years ago, speeding up and down Montgomery,” said Reyes Merlos.
Francisco Reyes Merlos, in February of last year, apologized to the victim’s family before he was sentenced that day. He’s been convicted of killing Travis Dehart, a father of six, who was teaching his 15-year-old daughter how to drive. Reyes Merlos was going at least 89 miles per hour down Montgomery when he hit the two.
After he was sentenced to four years, District Court Judge Britt Baca-Miller let Reyes Merlos walk out with the promise that he would turn himself in a month later. Reyes Merlos has been missing ever since.
District Attorney Sam Bregman also said Reyes Merlos could be looking at more charges and more time when he’s caught.
“We will find him. I can assure you that. It may not be tomorrow or the next day. We have leads. We will pursue this investigation, like all these investigations we take very serious,” said Bergman. “If the defendant committed new crimes while they’re out, we will absolutely charge them with new crimes.”
KRQE reached out to Dehart’s family to ask them about Reyes Merlos and his escape from justice, but they declined to comment.
