On the morning of June 1, 2019, the body of 28-year-old Robert Pena was found on the side of Esperanza Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico. A passerby alerted police shortly after 1 a.m.; Pena had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head and investigators believe his body was dumped there after the killing.

Police say the events began the evening before when Pena and his girlfriend traveled from Silver City to Las Cruces with Patrick D. Salaiz, 43, and his son Gabriel Ray Salaiz, 21. In Las Cruces they met 25-year-old Sonny Sierra in a Walmart parking lot to settle a dispute over illegal drugs. Rather than take the wounded man for help, the Salaizes and Pena’s girlfriend remained in the car, later driving to Esperanza Street and abandoning his body before returning to Silver City.

Surveillance footage and the girlfriend’s statements led to arrests. Sierra was charged with first-degree felony murder and a second-degree felony count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Patrick and Gabriel Salaiz face multiple charges including first-degree felony murder, kidnapping, attempted robbery, conspiracy, tampering with evidence and assault.

Did anyone in the Las Cruces or Silver City area witness the group at the Walmart parking lot that night or have information about the events between the shooting and the abandonment on Esperanza Street?