F.B.I. Investigating Southeast New Mexico Murders, Shootings
By: Dylan Brooks
Updated: December 4, 2012
ROSWELL, NM -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into 2 recent murders in Chaves (NM) County and a deputy-involved shooting in Lea (NM) County.
The F.B.I. is meeting with Hobbs Police, New Mexico State Police, Eddy and Lea County Sheriff departments about the two bodies -- which were found in rural Chaves County in mid-November.
Authorities say a man's body was found smoldering along a road near Lake Arthur (just north of Carlsbad) on November 15th.
The body of 48-year-old Mark T. Walters III of Artesia, NM was then found at a Chaves County oilfield site on November 19th.
Then, around 12:30 AM on November 24th, Lea County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Tovar was shot in the arm and neck while he, other Lea County Sheriff's deputies and Hobbs Police were trying to execute a search warrant at a home at 61 East Everglade Road in Hobbs, NM.
Tovar was airlifted to University Medical Center Hospital in Lubbock after the shooting.
Tovar was treated and then released from the hospital.
Investigators with New Mexico State Police later reportedly found 11 firearms and an Improvised Explosive Device in the home where the shooting took place.
Juan Uribe-Vidal, 25, and James Gomez, 22, were arrested for the shooting.
Chaves County Sheriff's deputies have named Uribe-Vidal as a person of interest in the 2 murders that occurred in their county before the shooting.
The F.B.I. is meeting with Hobbs Police, New Mexico State Police, Eddy and Lea County Sheriff departments about the two bodies -- which were found in rural Chaves County in mid-November.
Authorities say a man's body was found smoldering along a road near Lake Arthur (just north of Carlsbad) on November 15th.
The body of 48-year-old Mark T. Walters III of Artesia, NM was then found at a Chaves County oilfield site on November 19th.
Then, around 12:30 AM on November 24th, Lea County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Tovar was shot in the arm and neck while he, other Lea County Sheriff's deputies and Hobbs Police were trying to execute a search warrant at a home at 61 East Everglade Road in Hobbs, NM.
Tovar was airlifted to University Medical Center Hospital in Lubbock after the shooting.
Tovar was treated and then released from the hospital.
Investigators with New Mexico State Police later reportedly found 11 firearms and an Improvised Explosive Device in the home where the shooting took place.
Juan Uribe-Vidal, 25, and James Gomez, 22, were arrested for the shooting.
Chaves County Sheriff's deputies have named Uribe-Vidal as a person of interest in the 2 murders that occurred in their county before the shooting.
