ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – The man accused of killing a 5-year old Española girl is facing new, tougher charges just weeks after rejecting a plea deal. Federal prosecutors have also outlined a new timeline of events in the 2019 murder of Renezmae Calzada.
Malcolm Torres, 29, is now facing charges including first-degree murder, second-degree murder of a child, child assault and evidence tampering according to a new indictment filed in U.S. Federal Court on Wednesday. Torres, who was Calzada’s stepfather, has been in custody since 2019, awaiting trial in the case.
According to a news release from New Mexico’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, Torres faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted. Previously, Torres was only facing a single count of second-degree murder.
The new indictment also sheds new light on the case that unfolded across five days in September 2019. According to the latest indictment, Torres is accused of killing Calzada on Saturday, September 7, 2019.
The public first learned that Renezmae was missing on late Sunday night, around 10:46 p.m. September 8, 2019. That’s when New Mexico State Police first issued an Amber Alert in connection to the girl’s disappearance. The alert brought dozens of community members out, searching across Española for any sign of the girl.
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At the time, authorities said Renezmae was last seen playing in the front yard of her Española home on Sunday, September 8. However, according to the new indictment, federal prosecutors believe Renezmae was killed on Saturday, September 7, a full day prior to the issuing of the Amber Alert.
Federal documents indicate that prosecutors believe Torres disposed of Renezmae’s body in the Rio Grande on September 8. Renezmae’s body was found on September 11.
Torres remains the only suspect in the case. Court documents indicate the case is being prosecuted in federal court, in part, because the crime took place on Santa Clara Pueblo property. Torres is accused of killing Renezmae at his home. Prosecutors say Torres is not a member of any Native American tribe.