Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Silver City, NM: Man kills girlfriend, self

SILVER CITY - A couple's attempt at reconciliation for the sake of their young son ended tragically Sunday night in a murder-suicide at Los Cerros apartments in Silver City.

Victor Roman, 42, shot and killed his girlfriend, Trudy Huerta, 35, and then turned the gun on himself, according to authorities.

Silver City police were called to the 4200 block of Kiva Place, on a report of shots fired at 8:03 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found Huerta lying on the ground in front Building 1 in the complex with a gunshot wound to the middle of her back, according to a police incident report. Two shell casings of what appeared to be shotguns rounds were located just south of Huerta's body, the report states.

Roman was found nearby sitting in gold Honda with the engine running, slumped over the steering wheel, a gunshot wound to face and a black shotgun resting across his chest, authorities said. Both Huerta and Roman were pronounced dead the scene by EMS.

Silver City police said Huerta was attempting to stop Roman from taking their son from the apartment when the crime occurred.

Huerta had an order of protection against Roman going back to 2001. Huerta had taken out another protection order against Roman but later dropped it saying, "He threatened me if I wouldn't because he was on parole at the time," court documents state.

Roman was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison in May 2003 on five felony charges, said Shannon McReynolds, acting public information with the New

Mexico Department of Corrections. Those charges include: aggravated battery against a household member, breaking and entering, criminal trespassing, resisting or evading an officer, aggravated assault on a peace officer and being a habitual offender. He was released on Nov. 12, 2008, with four years of parole to serve.
Most recently the couple had each filed protection orders against one another in March. On March 19, Huerta was arrested for battery on a household member and on March 24, Roman was charged with violating a protection order.

On May 5, in court documents, Huerta wrote that she wanted to terminate the protection order against Roman because "we are going to go to counseling to get along for my son, our son. He (Victor) is going to get help. We love each other and need to make this work for our family but still need to support his child. We love each other very much!!!"

Huerta drew a big smiley face after the 'very much.'

"We need and Love each other so much and will do anything to be together," she wrote.

On June 7, Huerta's application to dismiss the previous protection order was approved and the charges against Roman were dismissed. The charges against Huerta were dropped the following day.

Huerta leaves five young children, ages 1, 9, 12, 14, and 17. Huerta was employed at Burger King and worked the second shift. Roman worked occasionally for All Glass MD in Silver City.

James Koons, owner of All Glass MD, said he met Roman through his dealings in law enforcement in 1995. Several months ago, Koons hired Roman to do auto detailing and do some other work at his shop.

"He just came and asked if I would give him a chance because no one would hire him because he had been in prison," Koons said. "He was just looking for a legitimate job and I said sure I'll give you a chance."

Koons said Roman was a hard worker, very respectful, and never had an attitude or temper problem. Koons said one day Roman came to work and had some scratches on him and said his girlfriend, Huerta, had assaulted him and Koons advised him to get an order of protection.

"I told him, 'you need to go to El Refugio file a restraining order,'" he said. "She went and filed one in retaliation."

Koons said he also told Roman about another employee who worked for him who was killed in a domestic violence incident in Deming in 2009.

Leonore Holguin-Galloso worked for All Glass MD in Deming for two years before Koons closed that shop. Holguin-Gallosa, 33, was shot and killed by her husband, Manuel Gallosa, 32, who later killed himself.

"I told him that story, and I said when it comes to domestic violence, you never take that lightly. It's very serious," he said. "We feel sad for both families, but most of all for their kids," Koons said. "They shouldn't have been in a relationship with each other because only bad things can happen from domestic violence."

Christine Steele can be reached at (575) 538-5893 ext. 5802.

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