Kidnap victim, suspect now suspected of drug possession

Mike Smith, Carlsbad Current-Argus
·2 min read

Hobbs police said that Erica Martinez, 35 of Hobbs, once thought to be a victim of a kidnapping, is now suspected of possession of illegal narcotics.

Martinez was found in Carlsbad Sept. 10 in the company of Jonathan Zaragoza, 36, who law enforcement officials first thought had kidnapped her from the Zia Park Hotel and Casino in Hobbs on Sept. 8, per a Facebook post from the Hobbs Police Department.

More:Alleged victim of Hobbs kidnapping found in Carlsbad, police say

New evidence uncovered by Hobbs police indicated the alleged incident may have not been a kidnapping, per a report from the Hobbs News-Sun.

Zaragoza has not been charged with kidnapping per the News-Sun report and online court records.

During the investigation into the alleged kidnapping, officers discovered a purse allegedly left by Martinez at the hotel and casino that contained an identification card of unknown person, several cards in Martinez’s name and 226 fentanyl pills, according to the News-Sun.

More:Kenneth Miller sentenced to 35 years for February kidnapping and rape in Carlsbad

Rodriguez said Hobbs police suspected Zaragoza and Martinez fled Hobbs to Carlsbad to avoid an investigation and arrest.

The two were found at a home in Carlsbad and arrested, according to Hobbs police. Zaragoza was booked into the Eddy County Detention Center (ECDC) for violating probation on a 2019 conviction for trafficking methamphetamine in Lea County, read court records. He was released Wednesday, according to the jail’s website.

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Martinez has a pretrial hearing Oct. 13 in Lovington Magistrate Court for a July 2022 charge of driving with a suspended license. She was arrested based on warrant issued after she failed to appear for court proceedings, though she has since been released from the Eddy county Detention Center, according to the jail’s website.

She has not been charged with any crime related to the incident in Hobbs.

Law enforcement officials said the investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Kidnap victim, suspect now suspected of drug possession