Ismael Zachery Martinez, a 27-year-old Hispanic man from Clovis, New Mexico, was found deceased on the afternoon of Friday, December 16, 2022. Around 2:30 p.m., Curry County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a man lying in a field at the intersection of Curry Roads K and 8, south of Clovis near the former Swift plant. Upon arrival, they discovered Martinez’s body and confirmed he had been fatally shot. An autopsy would later reveal he had suffered gunshot wounds to his back and right thigh.
Investigators with the Ninth Judicial Major Crimes Unit quickly determined that Martinez had likely been killed at a different location and moved to the field. The investigation led them to a residence in the 800 block of Sheldon Avenue in Clovis. An anonymous tip suggested the shooting had occurred there on the afternoon of December 15. Neighbors corroborated this, telling deputies they had heard screams and gunshots coming from the house that day.
One witness reported being at the residence and hearing someone say, "What are you doing here?" immediately followed by three gunshots.
Early in the investigation, the sheriff's office publicly identified four persons of interest: Cesar Rascon-Chacon, 23; Mi’Linda Gallegos, 20; Veronica Galvan, 46; and Eduardo Blanco, 27. Rascon-Chacon and Gallegos were apprehended over the first weekend on parole or probation violations. On December 26, investigators located and interviewed Blanco, who was then released.
By December 21, 2022, authorities announced they had arrested and charged Cesar Rascon-Chacon with the murder. Rascon-Chacon was already incarcerated at the Curry County Adult Detention Center for a probation violation when the new charges were filed. He was charged with first-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and tampering with evidence. According to the criminal complaint, multiple witnesses identified Rascon-Chacon as the shooter. One individual told investigators that after giving Rascon-Chacon a ride, he admitted he was in trouble because he had "shot a guy."
Following his arrest, the murder case against Rascon-Chacon was transferred from Curry County Magistrate Court to the Ninth Judicial District Court, where it was assigned to Judge Drew Tatum. As of late December 2022, the case was awaiting a pre-trial detention hearing. Authorities stated that the investigation was ongoing and that additional arrests were anticipated.
