Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 285 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
November 28, 2012
Hobbs shooting linked to area murders JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The shooting of Lea County Sherif f’s Sgt. Michael Tovar on Saturday is linked to two recent homicides in Chaves County. Tovar was struck during an old-style shoot-out as the LCSO and the Hobbs Police Department executed a Chaves County search warrant at 61 E. Everglade Road in Hobbs.
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Chaves County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Britt Snyder said the search warrant for the Hobbs residence was issued based on information obtained during their investigation of two bodies found in Chaves County last week. On Nov. 19, a hunter and his son found the first victim near a well site along N.M. Highway 249 east of Hagerman. On Nov. 21, a county employee reported a burn-
ing corpse next to Buffalo Valley Road, east of Lake Arthur. Both bodies were sent to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Albuquerque. Snyder reported on Tuesday that the body located Nov. 21 has been identified as Mark T. Walters, 48, of Artesia. “They found him through his fingerprints,” said Snyder. The LCSO and HPD had been told this was a “high
risk” warrant and called in the Special Weapons and Tactics. After the SWAT team deployed flash bangs, subjects started firing from inside the recreational vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, of ficers discharged about eight rounds while the subjects in the RV shot about 18 rounds. During the gunfire, Tovar See MURDERS, Page A2
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE HIGH
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence rose this month to its highest level in almost five years, helped by a better outlook for hiring over the next six months. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 73.7 in November from ... - PAGE B4
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INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Radiant Tree of Hope graces RMAC
Students from All Saints Catholic School with help from the Assisteens decorate the Tree of Hope with handmade decorations at the Roswell Museum and Art Center, Tuesday.
NOAH VERNAU RECORD STAFF WRITER
All Saints Catholic School students gathered at the Roswell Museum
TIGERS TAKE ROCKETS
The start of a new season is always exciting for players and coaches and, at the start of the Goddard girls basketball team’s season opener against Alamogordo on Tuesday, its excitement was evident. The Rockets opened up an 18-9 lead, but the Tigers responded with a 23-2 run to take control on their way to a 66-53 win. Goddard came out energized, particularly at the defensive end, forcing five turnovers on Alamogordo’s first six possessions. The Rockets’ Camille Martinez scored four of Goddard’s first seven points as the Rockets ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
There are no obituaries today, Nov. 28, 2012.
HIGH ...70˚ LOW ....37˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....B5 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........B5 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
and Art Center on Tuesday to decorate a Tree of Hope, an annual cancer awareness project that dreams of a future in which the disease is no longer life-threatening.
Every student from grades K-8 crafted a decoration for the tree, which will remain on display at RMAC until Jan. 2. Kindergarten teacher Bertha Reyes said decora-
tions range from paper angels and bells to dried yuccas and dream catchers. Her students are studying plants and decoSee TREE, Page A3
Feds launch APD probe Mark T. Walters
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation of the Albuquerque Police Department after a string of of ficer involved shootings and high-profile abuse cases that allege the use of excessive and deadly force, officials said Tuesday. The announcement of a civil probe comes months after the police department in New Mexico’s biggest city was the target of protests, lawsuits and demands for wide-scale agency overhaul from civil rights advocates. The city has seen 25 officer -involved shootings — 17 of them fatal — since 2010. In addition, the Albuquerque Police Department has been plagued in recent months by a number of high-profile cases alleging excessive force by officers, including some cases caught on video. The department also
Woman stabbed; Protesters to Islamist Morsi: Leave, leave RPD seeks info
The police were called to the 300 block of East Bonney Street, Wednesday, after a 31year-old woman was stabbed. According to the police, the woman was stabbed multiple times. “She managed to drive herself to her house, where relatives helped her from the vehicle to the couch and then called 911,” said RPD spokeswoman Sabrina Morales.
She said the police do not know where the incident took place. The victim was not in any condition to make a statement; thus, could not provide any information to the officers. “The woman kept going in and out of consciousness.”
The investigation is continuing. The police urge people who may have information about this incident to contact the Criminal Investigation Division, 624-6770, or Crime Stoppers at 888-594-TIPS.
CAIRO (AP) — The same chants used against Hosni Mubarak were turned against his successor Tuesday as more than 200,000 people packed Egypt’s Tahrir Square in the biggest challenge yet to Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. The massive, flag-waving throng protesting Morsi’s assertion of near -absolute powers rivaled some of the largest crowds that helped drive Mubarak from office last year. “The people want to bring down the regime!” and “erhal, erhal” — Arabic for “leave, leave” — rang out across the
See EGYPT, Page A3
See FEDS, Page A3
AP Photo
A protester holds a placard against the Egyptian president at an opposition rally in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Tuesday.
Kiwanis hosts Civic Club Luncheon 2 races require recounts ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
The 63rd annual All Civic Club Luncheon recognized members of 25 local organizations for their work in the community Tuesday at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center. Sponsored and organized by the Kiwanis Club of Roswell, the event gives civic organizations the chance to meet members Mark Wilson Photo of other groups, hear about the work they’ve Marisa Coates entertains those attending the 63rd annual done and become All Civic Club Luncheon hosted by the Kiwanis Club of inspired, said Kiwanis Roswell at the Roswell Convention Center, Tuesday. Club president Robert Club of Roswell, Habitat Peggy Seskey of Roswell Sherman. for Humanity Roswell and Red Coats and MainThe event had close to Chaves County 4-H indi- Street Roswell, said the 300 attendees this year. vidually by listing some of Sherman acknowledged their activities. groups such as Altrusa See KIWANIS, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — Recounts are set to start next week in two close New Mexico legislative races that will deter mine the strength of the Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives. The state Canvassing Board on Tuesday ordered the recounts to start on Dec. 4. The recounts are required under state law because the margin between the candidates is less than one-half of 1 percent. There’s a tie in a souther n New Mexico race between Republican Rep. Terry McMillan and Democrat Joanne Ferrary, both of Las Cruces. Each received 6,247 votes, according to results certified by the board. The district covers portions of Doña Ana County.
There was a 66-vote margin in a race for an Albuquerque-area House seat, with Republican Paul Pacheco of Albuquerque leading Democrat Marci Blaze of Corrales. The district covers parts of Sandoval and Bernalillo counties. There was no incumbent in the race. County elections officials will conduct the recounts, but the state covers the costs. It could take several days for the recounts to be completed and the state board will meet later to ratify the final results. If a race ends in a tie, the winner will be determined by a game of chance such as a flip of a coin. In 1996, a GOP primary race for a state Senate seat was determined by a coin See RECOUNTS, Page A3