Suspect captured after allegedly killing man in Las Cruces
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The man who is allegedly responsible for shooting and killing another man in Las Cruces this past Monday, April 29 has been arrested, according to court documents obtained by KTSM.
As we have previously reported, Isaiah J. Rea, 25 was at large after allegedly fatally shooting Steven Sanchez, 34, at a home along Princess Jeanne Drive in Las Cruces.
Man dies after Las Cruces shooting; suspect at large
Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Rea. He’s now facing a charge of first-degree murder.
Court documents say Sanchez, Rea, another man who was not identified, and two female witnesses were at a home on the 1900 block of Princess Jean Drive just after 3 a.m. that Monday.
One of the witnesses told police that she saw Sanchez exit the home and go to the backyard. She then saw Rea go outside with Sanchez, according to court documents.
The witness told police that she was in the kitchen when she saw Rea re-enter the home and said something to the effect of “I thought that’s what he wanted me to do.”
Rea then lifted his shirt and showed the witness a black firearm, according to court documents.
Moments later, the unidentified man also entered the home and said something to the effect of “He just shot Steven,” according to court documents.
The witness then went outside to check on Sanchez and found him unresponsive in a shed with a gunshot wound to his head, according to court documents.
The second witness told police that she was also in the kitchen when she heard a “loud pop” which she recognized to be a gunshot.
The witness told police that she also saw Rea enter the home with the unidentified man, to which Rea said something to the effect of “I thought he wanted me to do it” while referring to the man, according to court documents.
The unidentified man then told Rea something to the effect of “I never said that,” according to court documents.
Rea was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on Thursday, May 2, and is facing a charge of first-degree murder along with other unrelated charges.
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