On July 7, 2014, the body of 33-year-old Jose Barrera was found inside a vacant house at 413 N. Sheldon St. in central Clovis, New Mexico. A property manager who went to check the residence discovered legs protruding from a bathroom doorway and then found Barrera deceased on the bathroom floor; the Clovis Police Department received the 911 call about 12:20 p.m. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator determined Barrera died of a gunshot wound to the head, and investigators treated the death as a homicide given the suspicious circumstances and significant blood at the scene.

The 9th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation, involving the District Attorney’s Office investigators, Clovis Police, Curry County Sheriff’s Office and Portales Police. Several people were identified as persons of interest, including Frank Campos, 42, and Lorenzo Medina, 37, both of Clovis; on July 10 Eric Valdez, also known as Spanky, 40, of Clovis, was added to that list. On July 11 Valdez was arrested on an unrelated charge and, after an interview at the Clovis Police Station, acknowledged involvement and said he was the shooter. He was charged with an open count of First Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence and booked into the Curry County Detention Center with bond set at $100,000 cash.

If anyone knew Jose Barrera, his movements around July 7, 2014, or has information about the people investigators identified, please share what is known with the Clovis Police Department.