Year in review: Incest case got global publicity

By Kevin Wilson

MANAGING EDITOR

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The philosopher Sophocles said, "All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride."

If that's the case, eastern New Mexico is no stranger to pride. Plenty of noteworthy cases grabbed local attention, and one case garnered worldwide publicity for Clovis.

But much of the biggest crimes from 2015 and 2016 remained unresolved as the year closed. The first four months of 2017's docket includes several trials of some charge connected to a death.

The biggest publicity, however, has gone to a non-violent charge where everybody seems to have an opinion - charges of incest filed in early 2016 against Monica Mares and her adult son, Caleb Peterson.

Peterson, adopted by another family as a child, made contact with Mares and moved in with the family after his 18th birthday. Police allege finding out during an unrelated domestic dispute officers reported to that the relationship became sexual after Peterson moved in.

The two told their story to London's Daily Mail newspaper, and the story has generated media coverage throughout the U.S. They say the relationship was consensual and cases of Genetic Sexual Attraction should be legally protected.

Mares is scheduled for a March 17 trial, and Peterson March 24.

Here are other noteworthy crime events in the area in 2016:

• Ricky Goodman faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of his mother's boyfriend, Jimmy Stotts. The trial has recently been assigned to Judge Fred Van Soelen after Judge Matt Chandler withdrew. No trial date is set.

• Eduardo Lopez of Portales is facing a charge of homicide by vehicle, with no trial scheduled. Lopez is accused of leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in August that resulted in the death of Iresema Hernandez. Lopez is scheduled for a Feb. 10 trial on charges of fleeing a law enforcement officer.

• A 2014 slaying trial has been scheduled for April 17-21. Matthew Jennings is accused of killing Ariel Ulibarri, a 23-year-old mother of two, by stabbing at Goodwin Lake Trails Walking Park in November 2014.

Jennings' competency to stand trial remains in question.

• Jonathan Cruz is scheduled to stand trial Jan. 30-Feb. 3 on charges connected to the 2015 shooting death of Joseph "Jo Jo" Chavez. The trial was scheduled to go in early September, but prosecutors did not file a timely witness list. Defense filed to strike all 20 of the state's witnesses, noting it was not in a position to go forward with the late notice on witnesses. Chandler issued the continuance after all parties acknowledged the late witness list was an error and not a dirty trick against the defense.

• A Clovis woman is charged with abandonment or abuse of a child after her 18-month-old son died from cardiac arrest in May 2015. Rocio Montanez is scheduled for trial Jan. 17-19.

• A Clovis woman is scheduled for a March 24 trial on a charge of vehicular homicide. Police say Garcia was driving around 80 mph when she was involved in a two-car accident that took the life of 21-year-old Brandon Summers.

• A cold case from 2003 will go to trial in April. William Hadix is accused of killing J.C. Tucker, allegedly in a dispute over money.

• Attorney Eric Dixon was found guilty in December on a misdemeanor assault charge in Portales' magistrate court.

The ruling, which is on appeal, would give Dixon 180 days of supervised probation and $573 in fines. He was also advised to avoid contact with his accuser and to find another attorney to be a mentor.

The case stemmed from a 2015 court hearing involving a Dixon client. A threatening note was allegedly left on his client's car, which led to an argument between Dixon and the person he believe left it.

• A woman accused of setting multiple fires in Clovis over the last three years accepted a plea deal of 20 years in December.

Angie Madrid will also have five years of probation following her jail term. She was arrested in February for a string of fires in downtown Clovis, and also faced charges from allegations of burning auto dealerships in Clovis and Portales in 2014.

• No charges or arrests have been made in a few cases of death.

In Portales, John Bustamante and Christina Griffin were found inside a burned house in March. An autopsy report received as a pubic records request by the Eastern New Mexico News reported three gunshot wounds suffered - one by Bustmante, two by Griffin.

In Clovis, no charges have been filed or arrests made in connection to the June death of Ramon Rollins. According to his wife, Bethenia Wallace, Rollins had moved to Clovis three years ago and had started a landscaping and detailing business.

• A man accused of shooting a Clovis police officer has three trials scheduled in the next seven weeks.

Anthony M. Baca is slated for a Jan. 10 trial on charges connected to the shooting of Clovis officer Chris Caron in the leg. He is also due in court Jan. 24 on a possession of narcotics charge and Feb. 14 on three combined cases, covering robbery, battery, trafficking, aggravated assault and a 2015 assault on a police officer.

• An officer was fired from the Clovis police department in May under allegations of a fight in March.

Stephen Borders was also charged with petty misdemeanor assault. He was given a conditional discharge in September.