Adre Baroz: The San Luis Valley Serial Killer
Overview
In the fall of 2020, a series of gruesome discoveries in Colorado's remote San Luis Valley shattered the community's sense of peace. Over a seven-week period, Adre Jordan Baroz, a 26-year-old from Sanford known as "Psycho," murdered five people, dismembered their bodies, and burned their remains in pits on two rural properties. The brutal crime spree involved a small circle of accomplices, including his own brother, and was characterized by extreme violence and calculated cruelty. The investigation culminated in a multi-state manhunt for Baroz and a complex legal case that ended with him pleading guilty to all charges, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The murders left a lasting scar on the close-knit valley, forever changing the lives of the victims' families and the community at large.
Background and Criminal History
Adre Baroz, born October 28, 1994, had a significant criminal history in southern Colorado long before the 2020 murders. His encounters with law enforcement began when he was 19 and escalated in severity over the years. In 2014, he was arrested for a parole violation and later for assault. A year later, in 2015, Baroz was charged with second-degree assault on a peace officer and subsequently made several attempts to escape from jail. By 2019, the allegations against him had grown more serious; he was investigated for sexual assault and drugging a victim, though the case was ultimately dismissed by the District Attorney's office. At the time of the murders, he was known to law enforcement and in his community by the nickname "Psycho," a moniker that reflected his violent reputation. He identified himself as the leader of a small-town gang, commanding loyalty from a few individuals who would later become his accomplices.
The Murders
The killing spree began in late August 2020. The first victim was 19-year-old Selena Esquibel. According to a confidential informant, Baroz believed Esquibel was telling people that he had raped her. On August 31, he confronted her at his apartment in Alamosa, striking her in the head with a handgun. He then forced her into a vehicle and drove her to a rural property in Los Sauces, a small community in Conejos County. There, he walked her to a pre-dug pit behind a garage and shot her, causing her to fall into the hole.
The next victim was 31-year-old Korina Arroyo, who was last seen on August 24, 2020. Arroyo was scheduled to testify as a state's witness in a drug case against Baroz. Authorities believe Baroz murdered her to prevent her from taking the stand. One of Baroz's accomplices later told a friend that Arroyo was killed "because she was a snitch."
On October 17, 24-year-old Xavier Zeven Garcia was reported missing. Garcia had allegedly helped Baroz dispose of Selena Esquibel's body by using a stolen tractor to bury her. He was murdered after going to Baroz to collect $2,500 he was owed for the work. Unlike the other victims, Garcia's remains have never been recovered.
Ten days later, on October 27, Baroz claimed his final two victims. Myron Robert Martinez, 38, went to Baroz's Alamosa apartment to buy drugs. During the transaction, Baroz stabbed and shot him. Waiting in a car outside was Martinez's girlfriend, 34-year-old Shayla Jenna Hammel. Baroz instructed his brother, Julius "Gato" Baroz, to "take care of the woman." Julius then murdered Hammel in the parking lot.
The Victims
- Korina Arroyo, 31 — Last seen on August 24, 2020, in Monte Vista. A mother who was remembered by her cousin as being part of a tight-knit community, her disappearance left her family distraught and the local community on edge.
- Selena Esquibel, 19 — Reported missing by her mother on September 3, 2020. She was from Alamosa and was staying at a local hotel before she was lured to her death by Baroz.
- Xavier Zeven Garcia, 24 — A resident of Saguache who went missing on October 16, 2020. He was a young man who became tragically entangled with Baroz and paid the ultimate price.
- Myron Robert Martinez, 38 — A Del Norte man who had not been in contact with his family since late October 2020. He was reported missing on November 6, just days before his remains were discovered.
- Shayla Jenna Hammel, 34 — From Saguache, she was reported missing on Thanksgiving Day in 2020. Her family had not heard from her since she was last seen with her boyfriend, Myron Martinez, in late October.
Investigation and Capture
The investigation began as a series of missing person cases across the San Luis Valley. On November 10, 2020, while executing a search warrant related to a vehicle theft, law enforcement discovered human remains at a property near Los Sauces. This led them to a second, nearby property rented by Francisco Ramirez, where more remains were found in what came to be known as "burn pits." The remains had been so thoroughly burned and dismembered that identification was extremely difficult, requiring the expertise of forensic odontologists and anthropologists.
Adre Baroz was quickly identified as the primary suspect. A multi-agency task force was formed, and a manhunt was launched. Authorities warned the public that Baroz, known as "Psycho," was considered armed and dangerous. The search came to an end on November 19, 2020, when ATF agents located and arrested Baroz without incident at a motel in Gallup, New Mexico. He was extradited back to Colorado and held without bond in the Alamosa County jail.
As the investigation deepened, three other men were arrested for their roles in the gruesome crimes. Baroz's brother, Julius Anthony Baroz, 33; Francisco "Pancho" Ramirez, 41; and CJ Walter Dominguez, 27, were all charged as accomplices.
Trial and Sentence
After more than three years of court proceedings, which included Baroz initially pleading not guilty by reason of insanity before withdrawing it, a resolution was reached. In February 2024, Adre Baroz pleaded guilty to all 13 charges against him: five counts of first-degree murder, five counts of tampering with a deceased human body, first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, and second-degree assault.
On May 3, 2024, Baroz was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, one for each murder. The judge added an additional 140 years in prison for the other charges, ensuring he would never leave prison.
His accomplices also pleaded guilty. Julius Baroz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit the murder of Myron Martinez and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Francisco Ramirez, who owned one of the properties where bodies were burned, pleaded guilty to three counts of tampering with a deceased human body and received a 24-year sentence. CJ Dominguez pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a deceased human body and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Adre Baroz case left an indelible mark on the San Luis Valley, a region unaccustomed to such violent and depraved crimes. The brutality of the murders and the calculated disposal of the bodies horrified residents and the nation. Former Alamosa Police Chief Ken Anderson, who led the investigation, stated, “This case had a huge impact not just on the city of Alamosa, but on the San Luis Valley.” The successful capture and conviction of Baroz and his accomplices brought a measure of justice to the victims' families and helped restore a sense of security to the community. However, the memory of the "burn pits" and the five lives senselessly cut short serves as a dark and permanent reminder of the seven weeks of terror inflicted by "Psycho" and his crew.
