Las Cruces police have taken Esteban Munoz, a 19-year-old man, into custody this Wednesday in connection with the Salopek Park shooting that occurred on September 4, resulting in the death of Julia Clark, 19, alongside non-fatal injuries to a 19-year-old man.
Munoz faces charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit an armed robbery. These charges add to the legal fallout from the incident, which had already seen two other 18-year-olds, Elijah Sambrano and Apolinar Rosales, arrested and charged for their alleged roles, as detailed by the Las Cruces Police Department.
Sambrano is faced with charges of aggravated battery that may cause death or bodily harm and tampering with evidence, while Rosales is charged with voluntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, and a misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing. The evidence suggests a deeply troubling sequence of events unfolding in a community place meant for peace and recreation.
The deadly shooting has shaken the local community with it having taken place in broad daylight near the park area on the 400 block of Salopek Boulevard, where Clark was critically injured and later succumbed to her injuries at University Medical Center of El Paso on September 6, the Las Cruces Police Department confirmed the timeline of these events and the progression of Julia Clark's condition until her untimely death.
The surviving victim of the shooting, who remains unnamed, was transported to a local hospital; fortunately, the injuries were deemed not life-threatening. According to the Las Cruces Police Department, the investigation is continuing, with the recent arrest of Munoz possibly providing new insights into the motive and circumstances surrounding the tragic September afternoon.
