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Man charged in mother's death pleads not guilty

A Clovis man charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother entered a "not guilty" plea Wednesday morning in Ninth Judicial District Court.

Martin Caballero-Diaz, 27, of Clovis entered his plea via video from the Curry County Detention Center before Judge Benjamin Cross in a brief arraignment hearing.

Bond was not a consideration Wednesday because Caballero-Diaz is being held pre-trial detention without bail, Cross explained from the bench.

Neither Leora Hutchins, representing the Ninth Judicial District Attorney's office, nor Angelina Baca, representing the Law Office of the Public Defender in Clovis, had comments to add, beyond entering Caballero-Diaz's not guilty plea.

Cross scheduled a status hearing in Caballero-Diaz's case for 1:30 p.m. for Dec. 12.

In addition to the murder charge, a capital crime, Caballero-Diaz faces two third-degree felony charges of tampering with evidence, another third-degree felony charge of receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive devices by certain persons, and a fourth-degree felony count of unlawful use of an ATM card.

Maximum sentence for a capital crime in New Mexico is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Third degree felonies are punishable by up to three years in state prison. Fourth degree felonies are punishable by up to 18 months in prison. 

Caballero-Diaz was charged with murder in the Aug. 24 shooting death of his mother Joann Caballero, 47, at her home in Clovis.

A witness told Clovis Police on Aug. 24 that Caballero said he had killed his mother, court records show.

Police officers found Joann Caballero's body under a pile of clothes. She was declared dead at the scene, court records show.

Police found Martin Caballero-Diaz in the main house on the property that also included Joann Caballero's house. Martin Caballero was arrested and taken the Clovis Police Department to be interviewed, court records show.

After Caballero was interviewed at the police department he was incarcerated at the detention center, according to court records.