Women’s Murders, Justice and Corruption in New Mexico

February 18, 2014

Voices, Politics / Current Events

By Frontera NorteSur
Print friendly version

Since 2009, Frontera NorteSur has followed the story of 11 murdered women and girls found in a common burial site on the West Mesa of Albuquerque, New Mexico. February 2 marked the fifth anniversary of the discovery. Although there has been much talk and speculation about who is responsible for the killings, the crimes remain mired in impunity.

What’s more, women with profiles similar to the West Mesa victims are still missing, prompting further speculation of another clandestine graveyard somewhere out there.

Despite a $100,000 reward and pledges by the City of Albuquerque and its local law enforcement agency to get to the bottom of the West Mesa murder saga, victims’ families and relatives of other missing women still do not know the full truth of what happened to their loved ones.

Until now, many New Mexican families have been denied justice.

Readers interested in learning more about a tragic chapter in contemporary New Mexico history will be interested in checking out recent news stories that have been published about the West Mesa case.

For starters, El Paso journalist and author Diana Washington Valdez has written three new articles on West Mesa for the El Paso Times.

The series features in-depth interviews with victims’ relatives, accounts of virtually forgotten missing women, and indications of possible corruption surrounding the West Mesa murders and investigation. 

The series, posted on Saturday, February 15, can be accessed at the following links:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_25146711/families-offer-clues-albuquerques-crime-century?source=JBarTicker

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_25155150/families-victims-received-tips-about-possible-killers?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_25155151/young-women-are-missing-new-mexico?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com

Earlier, Albuquerque media outlet KRQE ran an article that reviewed the murders and discussed possible culprits. The piece can be viewed at

http://krqe.com/2014/01/31/does-apd-have-a-suspect-in-the-west-mesa-murders/

Finally, on December 23, 2013,  Frontera NorteSur published a feature story on the killings, comparing  issues of human rights and access to justice in New Mexico with Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. That article can be viewed on FNS’ website:

http://fnsnews.nmsu.edu/crimes-against-humanity-dont-disappear/




This piece was written by:

Frontera NorteSur's photo

Frontera NorteSur

Frontera NorteSur (FNS) is the online news service of the Center for Latin American and Border Studies at New Mexico State University. Since the early 1990s, FNS has reported on the borderlands, Mexico and beyond. In addition to publishing FNS, the Center for Latin American and Border Studies sponsors lectures, hosts conferences and promotes graduate and undergraduate courses. FNS Editor Kent Paterson has covered the U.S. Southwest, Mexico and Latin America for more than 30 years as a print and radio journalist.

If you appreciate the ongoing, in-depth journalism brought to you by Frontera Norte Sur please consider donating.

Simply go the NMSU Foundation website at: http://giving.nmsu.edu/giving.php.

There you will be prompted to “Find a Giving Area/Fund” Click the button and type in “Frontera.” Frontera Norte Sur will come up on a drop down menu, double click on it and proceed with the form. There is an additional option to donate in honor or memory of someone, if desired.

If you prefer to donate by mail, simply mail a check or money order to:

NMSU Foundation Box 3590 Las Cruces, NM 88003

Checks and money orders should be made payable to: New Mexico State University Foundation Inc.


Contact Frontera NorteSur

Responses to “Women’s Murders, Justice and Corruption in New Mexico”