A New Mexico teenager accused of murdering four relatives told investigators he heard a voice that ordered him to kill his family, a state police spokesperson said Wednesday.
The 16-year-old, whom NBC News is not identifying because he is a minor, faces four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killings Saturday in Belen, about 30 miles from Albuquerque. The boy is being held in a juvenile detention center in Albuquerque but could be charged as an adult later, the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said.
It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.
The suspect called 911 around 3:30 a.m. Saturday and “told the dispatcher he had killed his family,” state police said in a statement over the weekend. It described him as “extremely intoxicated” and said he exited a residence and surrendered when officers arrived.
The officers found four people dead inside the home and a handgun in the kitchen, state police said.
A motive had not yet been determined, Ricardo Breceda, a public information officer for the New Mexico State Police, told NBC News on Wednesday.
The suspect “told agents that a voice told him to kill his family,” Breceda said.
The suspect made the statement Sunday when he was sober, said Breceda, who added that the gun used in the shootings had been purchased by the teen’s father, who was one of the victims. Breceda said authorities were not sure whether the boy had a history of mental illness.
State police identified the victims as Adriana Bencomo, 35; Leonardo Leyva, 42; Adrian Leyva, 17; and Alexander Leyva, 14.
‘She absolutely loved being a mom’
Bencomo had been a volunteer firefighter and was a doting mother, said those who knew her. News of the murders stunned her current and former colleagues at the City of Rio Communities Fire Department, where she volunteered.
“She absolutely loved being a mom,” said Ashley Romero-Reynolds, a former volunteer who now lives in Ohio. “She would bring her boys to the fire department when we had little events there and whatnot or just to see their mom.”
Romero-Reynolds said Bencomo went by “Andy” and always wanted to make people laugh — whether it was by cracking jokes or by doing silly dances.
“If someone is having a bad day, guaranteed she will make it better,” Romero-Reynolds said.
Bencomo was a volunteer firefighter for 17 years, responding to priority calls, such as house blazes, car wrecks and medical emergencies, Fire Chief Andrew Tabet said.
He described Bencomo as a vital part of the fire crew who always put others first.
“She was a genuine person who wanted to help her community. She wanted to be there for people,” Tabet said, adding that Bencomo was bilingual and helped the department with any language barriers.
Tabet said he had been friends with Bencomo for 15 years and last spoke with her the day before she died.
“We were both looking forward to the holidays,” he said. “I’ll miss her smile and genuine appreciation for everyone who was here.”
Leonardo Beltran, the father of victim Leonardo Leyva, said he was struggling to come to terms with the loss of his family members.
“The dead are dead, and I cannot resurrect them,” he said in Spanish when he was reached by phone Tuesday. “It’s incredibly difficult.”
The suspect was a student at Belen High School, and the youngest victim, Alexander, attended Belen Middle School, said Lawrence Sanchez, superintendent of Belen Consolidated Schools. Adrian, 17, attended a school outside the district, he said.
The school system has brought in resources to help students and staff members cope with the tragedy.
“We’re playing each day by ear,” Sanchez said, adding that the first day back at school after the killings “was a tough day.”
In a statement this week, Sanchez said the school district is committed to working closely with law enforcement and school officials “to take steps to do our part in preventing anything like this from happening again.”
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure our children and families feel safe, supported, and valued,” he wrote.
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