Damacio S. Montano, a 31-year-old off-duty Valencia County Sheriff’s deputy, was killed in the early morning of October 6, 2002, in Los Lunas, New Mexico. He and his brother, Eric Montaño, a New Mexico State Police officer, were helping bouncers break up a fight between two women at a restaurant at Valencia Road and Route 47 when a vehicle pulled up. A man exited and opened fire with a handgun. Damacio was struck multiple times and died at the scene; Eric was wounded in the hip and survived.

Investigators identified three suspects in the shooting: Nestor Chavez, Michael Armendariz, and Sandra Baray. A jury found the man identified as the shooter guilty of first-degree murder for Damacio’s death and attempted murder for the wounding of his brother on August 11, 2003; he was sentenced to life in prison plus 13 years.

Did anyone in the Los Lunas area witness that night or have information about events outside the restaurant?