Las Cruces man arrested for fatal shooting on Van Patten Drive

A Las Cruces man was arrested on Feb. 3 and charged with first-degree murder and receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon.

Las Cruces Police arrested Osvaldo Suarez, 40, around 3:30 p.m., at the 300 block of Van Patten Drive in Las Cruces.

Suarez is accused of shooting and killing 26-year-old Oscar Ramirez, according to LCPD.

Ramirez was transported to Memorial Medical Center and succumbed to injuries from at least one gunshot wound to the lower portion of the abdomen, according to Las Cruces Police Department.

According to court records, police observed video footage of Suarez allegedly shooting Ramirez once with a rifle or shotgun. In the video, police believe Suarez, while walking back toward his apartment following the shooting, stopped to pick up what police believed to be the spent cartridge.

A tenant who lives in the complex told investigators that, after the shooting, Suarez instructed her to delete security video footage of the apartment complex, according to police.

Police did recover the firearm allegedly used in the crime, according to LCPD.

Suarez was also charged with tampering with evidence and bribery of a witness, according to court records.

Suarez was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center where he is being held without bond.

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces Police Department arrest Las Cruces man for fatal shooting