Saturday marks ten years since the bodies of 11 women were found buried on the outskirts of Albuquerque. To this day, the infamous West Mesa murders remain unsolved.
The advocacy group Street Safe New Mexico held a service on Saturday with music, speeches and written messages of support for the 11 West Mesa murder victims and women who still experience violence.
“Mainly just here to memorialize and just let Albuquerque know that these young ladies were loved and are still being loved by their community,” Jose Martinez of Albuquerque said.
In 2009, a woman walking her dog on the West Mesa near 118th Street discovered a large bone in the dirt, leading police to excavate the area.
One by one, authorities uncovered the bodies, including one of a pregnant woman. A decade later, there are still no arrests made or suspects named. APD said investigators are still seeking leads.
“A lot of people are still hurting and they want answers. We’re still trying to seek those answers so we still have officers dedicated to the investigation,” Officer Simon Drobik said.
Saturday, people marched with crosses around the memorial park, which is still under construction, honoring the victims.
Roughly six other women remain missing who also disappeared in Albuquerque during the same time as the 11 women found dead from roughly 2001 to 2006.
Last July, there was a brief scare when more bones were uncovered at the site of the memorial park, but those turned out to be quite ancient and unrelated to the West Mesa murders.
Related Coverage:
- West Mesa memorial park construction leads to discovery of new human remains
- Recovered bones are ancient, not connected to West Mesa murders
- APD’s new chief discusses potential suspects in West Mesa murder investigation
