LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – Lonnie Gallegos, who was found guilty of murdering a shop owner in 2020, was sentenced to a total of 29 years in prison. Las Cruces police said Gallegos murdered Oscar Amezquita after Gallegos broke into Amezquita’s shop. Witnesses said Gallegos and his dog got into Amezquita’s vehicle and left the scene. Investigators tracked the vehicle after he left his phone in the vehicle. It was found abandoned, covered with netting with the license plate removed.
Gallegos was found guilty of aggravated battery, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence and sentenced to 13 years. He was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder for the same case in April after an earlier mistrial for the murder charge. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder which will run consecutive to the earlier sentence.
