Tucumcari suspect arraigned

Freedom New Mexico

A man accused of killing two men in a Tucumcari hotel was arraigned Tuesday in the Quay County Magistrate Court.

Muziwokuthula Madonda appeared before Magistrate Judge Joel Garnett via closed circuit television from the Quay County Detention Center.

Madonda is charged with for two open counts of murder and one count of tampering with evidence.

Garnett said no plea will be entered at this time and Madonda will be appointed an attorney.

Madonda will appear before Garnett within 10 days for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to bind the case over to district court.

Prosecuting the case is 10th Judicial District Court Senior Trial Attorney Tom Blakeney.

Blakeney had no comment.

Madonda was extradited from Conroe, Texas to Quay County at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Quay County Sheriff Joe Schallert said.

“The exact time of Madonda’s extradition was kept from the public for the safety of the deputies and the inmate during transport,” Schallert said.

Madonda waived extradition on April 7 in a Montgomery County courtroom, Montgomery County officials said.

The victims, Gabriel Baca, 37, and Bobby Gonzales, 57, both of Tucumcari, were found dead on March 24 in a room at the Tucumcari Inn, 1700 E. Route 66 Blvd, according to New Mexico State Police Agent Joshua J. Armijo’s affidavit.

Madonda was renting the hotel room next door to the two men found fatally shot, according to police testimony.

Madonda has been identified as the suspect in two additional homicides that occurred in Ohio in February, said state police Lt. Eric Garcia.

The victims in the two prior homicides have been identified as Jackie Hider of Akron, Ohio, and Zenzele D. Mdadane, a native of South Africa, a acquaintance of Madonda.