ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A man who was just 18 years old, Devin Munford, when he shot and killed 22-year-old Devon Heyborne over a drug dispute back in 2021 was found guilty on all charges Thursday including first-degree murder.
Prosecutors and the family of the victim said they’re satisfied with the guilty verdict against Munford but that Heyborne’s death could have been avoided. “We shouldn’t be here today, that’s the bottom line,” New Mexico Attorney General, Raul Torrez said. “This never should’ve happened.”
At the time of Heyborne’s killing, Munford was already under the watch of the justice system for firing shots out of a car back in 2020. Prosecutors in that case requested the judge keep Munford detained. Instead, the judge released Munford on GPS monitoring, which he violated a total of 113 times, without repercussion, before his arrest for killing Heyborne.
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“That points to a real systemic failure, and that failure isn’t theoretical,” Torrez explained. “It was paid with a young man’s life.”
Heyborne’s Mother, Angel Alire, shared her disappointment in what she says are failures in the justice system. “Unfortunately, my son had to be lost for all of us to realize that no one was being monitored after five or on weekends,” Alire said. “None of us are perfect, my son wasn’t perfect, but by the same token he had the biggest heart and work ethic of any young person I know.”
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Munford continued to commit felonies after murdering Heyborne- all while still wearing the GPS monitor. He threatened a woman who asked him to move his car and fired a round above the woman’s head. He then robbed a Seven-Eleven at gunpoint.
The case drew renewed scrutiny of GPS monitoring in Bernalillo County, but the Attorney General’s Office said even today, they’re unsure of what happens to criminals who violate GPS monitoring conditions. “Even as we stand in front of the courthouse talking about a murder that should never have occurred, there are people on GPS monitoring in this county and I don’t have any idea what happens when they break the terms of their conditions,” added Torrez.
Munford was also found guilty of aggravated assault, armed robbery, and criminal damage to property. Sentencing will take place within the next 60 days.
