Thursday’s Top Stories

Thursday’s Five Facts

[1] Video shows officers responding to murder scene of 13-year-old girl in Questa – Newly released police lapel video shows the moment officers arrive at the Questa home of William Brown in late July, where they found a 13-year-old girl who had been shot and killed. Police mentioned the first claim was the teen was shot in a drive-by. Eventually, the witnesses told police the teens were hanging out in the home when Brown’s 14-year-old son shot and killed the girl. Brown is the first person to be charged under “Bennie’s Law,” which is a fourth-degree felony. Porfirio Brown is also facing murder charges.

[2] Suspect in shooting of 11-year-old in Albuquerque will be held behind bars – The man accused of being the driver during a deadly shooting of an 11-year-old boy will remain behind bars until trial. Prosecutors say Jose Romero was behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango that shot at the Villegas family’s truck. Romero’s attorney tried to convince the judge that Romero didn’t pull the trigger and didn’t know what was going to happen. The judge sided with the state and Romero will be held behind bars until trial.

[3] Warm weather continues – Hotter temperatures move in Thursday afternoon with near-record highs. A storm system approaching New Mexico this weekend will bring rain chances, along with windier and cooler weather. Temperatures climb even higher Thursday, despite some high to mid-level clouds that will move in. Changes are on the way beginning Friday as the winds start to pick up and rain chances move into southeast New Mexico. This is part of an approaching storm system from our west that will draw up better moisture into the state this weekend. 

[4] Event to honor placement of Juan de Oñate statue postponed after protests – The reinstatement of a statue of Juan De Oñate in Espanola has been postponed. The statue was taken down in 2020 when protestors around the state targeted monuments of colonial figures. Recently, Rio Arriba County announced plans to put the statue back up, this time outside of a different building. Protesters were gathered there Wednesday, calling it disrespectful to Indigenous people. Wednesday evening, the county shifted gears, announcing the statue will not go up Thursday after “unforeseen circumstances and the interest of public safety.”

[5] UNM to host solar eclipse party at Johnson Field on October 14 –  UNM’s Department of Physics and Astronomy will be hosting a solar eclipse viewing party on October 14 at 8:30 a.m. about 45 minutes before the eclipse is scheduled to begin. UNM astronomers will be on hand to give information to those interested. UNM will provide eclipse glasses and food trucks will be available at Johnson Field. The eclipse is scheduled to start around 9:13 a.m. with the “Ring of Fire” expected to be at 10:36 a.m.