Jul. 21, 2014 12:19 AM ET
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.
(AP) — Three teenagers ganged up on two homeless men and fatally beat
them before leaving their bodies nearly unrecognizable, Albuquerque
police said Sunday.
Alex
Rios, 18, and two boys, ages 16 and 15, are being held in Bernalillo
County detention facilities a day after allegedly killing the victims in
an open field, police spokesman Simon Drobik said.
A
criminal complaint filed by police says Rios has been charged with two
counts each of murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree felony and
contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He also faces three counts
of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count each of
tampering with evidence and robbery.
The
younger boys will likely be charged with murder as adults, Drobik said.
The Associated Press is withholding their names because of their age.
"I
personally, after reading that complaint, was sick to my stomach
because of the nature of the violence and the age of the offenders,"
Drobik said.
Officers
responded Saturday around 8 a.m. to a 911 call reporting two bodies in a
field. They found one victim lying on a mattress and another lying on
the ground. Jerome Eskeets, a third victim who said he was able to flee,
was hospitalized for his injuries.
Eskeets
told police that he recognized one of the "kids" hitting and kicking
him as someone who lived in a house nearby. Police went to the home and
found the three suspects, according to the complaint. The homeowner
identified the 15 and 16-year-old as his children and Rios as a friend
who had spent the night.
Investigators
say in the complaint that blood on the waist band of 15-year-old's
shorts triggered further investigating and interviews with all three.
Rios
told investigators he acted as a lookout while the other boys attacked
both men with bricks, sticks and a metal fence pole. He said the victims
were struck all over, including in the face and chest.
The
younger suspects, however, told police that Rios also took part in the
attacks. Both boys said they wanted to look for someone to beat up and
possibly rob.
Both
describe how all three covered their faces with black T-shirts before
walking over to the victims, who were lying down. Then the trio
allegedly used various objects to attack the men, including cinder
blocks. According to the 15-year-old, they all took turns picking up
cinder blocks over their heads and smashing them into the men's faces
more than 10 times.
The
suspects said after the attack, they took one victim's driver's license
and debit card. The license was found in the teens' home, police said.
According
to the 15-year-old, all three have previously attacked homeless people
around Albuquerque. Police are now going to look into open cases
involving attacks on transients to see if they are related, Drobik said.
Meanwhile,
investigators have not yet officially confirmed the identities of the
two victims. Their transient background and the severity of their
injuries have made identifying them somewhat difficult, Drobik said.
The
department is asking anyone in the homeless community with information
to get in touch with them. Drobik said any transients uncomfortable
approaching police can also contact them through any social service
agency.
"Just please come forward," Drobik said.
Just a note:
Social services organizations share information willingly with law enforcement kinda as friends and keep this hidden from those struggling. In their mind, they think they are helping, but in reality, they are only looking after their own business of "HELP". Not all will do this, but more and more take part i such free willy sharing without the "Rule of Law" to safeguard the privacy of those who are struggling.
"The HOUSELESS" are being targeted, but who can they go to? All too many 501 (c) (3) "HELP" business are in it for just that, business.
The "Protect and Serve" agencies are no longer for all citizens as it is being proven in the daily struggles of citizens in the United States. If a person fails to have funds and/or money, then right away police in the US either look to criminalize those who are "The Houseless" or run them out of town by any and all means possible. Yes, many of these so called "Protect and Serve" employees are followers of some sort of faith, but they show by their evil they don't believe even the version of faith they follow.
Most religious organizations WILL look the other way and even take steps to rid you of their neighborhoods, instead of being righteous in accordance with Scripture, not versions thereof.
So for most who fall into becoming "The Houseless", it quite more scary out there than most can even imagine. So, unplug yourself from your fantasy world and get involved in real time with those about you.
Please don't hate them, nor disregard them, for all are human and worth spending time to understand: "how"; "why", "when" ... .
Mikhael Love, IIO
& Via
Related:
"The HOUSELESS" are being targeted, but who can they go to? All too many 501 (c) (3) "HELP" business are in it for just that, business.
The "Protect and Serve" agencies are no longer for all citizens as it is being proven in the daily struggles of citizens in the United States. If a person fails to have funds and/or money, then right away police in the US either look to criminalize those who are "The Houseless" or run them out of town by any and all means possible. Yes, many of these so called "Protect and Serve" employees are followers of some sort of faith, but they show by their evil they don't believe even the version of faith they follow.
Most religious organizations WILL look the other way and even take steps to rid you of their neighborhoods, instead of being righteous in accordance with Scripture, not versions thereof.
So for most who fall into becoming "The Houseless", it quite more scary out there than most can even imagine. So, unplug yourself from your fantasy world and get involved in real time with those about you.
Please don't hate them, nor disregard them, for all are human and worth spending time to understand: "how"; "why", "when" ... .
Mikhael Love, IIO
& Via
Three teens admit beating two homeless men to death with bricks in sickening attack after attacking DOZENS of other transients
The three teens admitted to bashing the homeless men's faces in with cinder blocks and metal fence poles, police said
Hardened police on the job for decades were disturbed by the grisly crimes
One of the teens also told police they had beaten about 50 other transients in the past year
Three teenagers admitted beating two
homeless men to death with bricks, cinder blocks and other hard objects
so badly that the crime scene disturbed even veteran cops, authorities
said.
Alex Rios, 18,
Nathaniel Carrillo, 16 and Gilbert Tafoya, 15, are being held in
Bernalillo County detention facilities after allegedly killing the
helpless victims Saturday in an open field, police said.
'I
personally, after reading that complaint, was sick to my stomach
because of the nature of the violence and the age of the offenders,'
police spokesperson Simon Drobik said.
 |
| The accused: Alex Rios, 18 has been charged with murder in the twin killings |
 |
| The accused: Nathaniel Carrillo, 16, has been charged with murder in the twin killings |
 |
| Admitted killer: Police say Gilbert Tafoya admitted to the killings, and also to beating about 50 other transients in the city over the past year |
The names of the two men savagely
beaten to death have not been released. But a third man, Jerome Eskeets,
escaped the brutal beatdown and lived to tell his story.
Eskeets
told police the teens covered their faces with t-shirts and beat him
and the two other victims with bricks, a metal fence pole and sticks.
All three victims suffered injuries to their entire bodies, including their faces - which were left unrecognizable, police said.
 |
| Where it happened: The empty Albuquerque lot where the three teens beat the homeless men to death |
Officers responded Saturday around 8
a.m. to a 911 call reporting two bodies in a field. They found one
victim lying on a mattress and another lying on the ground. Eskeets was
hospitalized for his injuries.
Eskeets told police that he recognized one of the 'kids' hitting and kicking him as someone who lived in a nearby house.
Police
soon found the three suspects at the home, according to the complaint,
and quickly noticed blood in the waistband of Tafoya's shorts.
Both
Tafoya and Carrillo are brothers, the homeowner told police. Rios was
identified as a friend who had slept over the previous night.
Investigators soon interviewed all three boys and learned the awful truth of what happened.
Rios
told investigators he acted as a lookout while the other boys callously
attacked the homeless, beating them to a bloody pulp.
The
younger suspects, however, told police that Rios also took part in the
attacks. Both boys said they wanted to look for someone to beat up and
possibly rob.
Tafoya said
they approached the suspect with their faces covered by t-shirts. They
then raised the cinder blocks up over their heads and smashed the
homeless men in the face at least 10 times each with the blocks,
authorities said.
Carrillo
and Tafoya admitted they took one victim's driver's license and debit
card. The license was found in the teens' home, police said.
Tafoya also admitted to police they have previously attacked about 50 other homeless people around the city in the past year, KOB reported.
"There are often homeless people around here; they come and sleep in the shade,' Matthew Sierra, told the Albuquerque Journal. 'It hurt business for a little while. But there hasn’t been anything like this in the three years we’ve been here."
"Who failed these kids? How did they get to this point?" Drobik asked KRQE. "I mean, I was sick to my stomach. Homicide had a hard time dealing
with this. They were there for 18 hours just putting it together. It’s
just unbelievable."
Investigators said they are now going to look into open cases involving attacks on transients to see if they are relate.
"We want to bring justice to everybody
who was attacked by these individuals,' Drobik continued. 'They may
have been boasting that they’ve attacked 50 people but, that’s what they
told us and, specifically transients."
Authorities
have yet to officially confirmed the identities of the two victims.
Their transient background and the severity of their injuries have made
identifying them somewhat difficult, Drobik said.
The
department is asking anyone in the homeless community with information
to get in touch with them. Drobik said any transients uncomfortable
approaching police can also contact them through any social service
agency.
'Just please come forward,' Drobik said.
Rios
has been charged with two counts each of murder, conspiracy to commit
first-degree felony and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He
also faces three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and
one count each of tampering with evidence and robbery.
Carrillo and Tafoya have also been charged with murder - as adults.
All three are currently in custody.
 |
| On the scene: Police comb the lot for evidence Sunday after two homeless men were beaten to death only hours earlier |
Related:
Albuquerque, New Mexico Police execute "Houseless" Man for Illegal Camping
&Violence against U.S. homeless on the rise
&Houseless woman set on fire while sleeping on bus bench in Van Nuys
&Seattle Interim police chief Jim Pugel apologizes for taxpayer video mocking homeless (Pics/Video's)
&Police: Flint homeless man was stomped to death because alleged attacker felt "disrespected"
&"The Houseless" aren't wanted along White Rock Creek Trail, Dallas, Texas
&"The Houseless" seem to get targeted for nothing more than being unable to stay hidden
&
Tampa passes new ordinances on "The Houseless" despite protests (Photos)
&Being Homeless Shouldn't Be Fatal
&Documentary-maker Lee Halpin meets death living Homeless in U.K. (Pics/VIDEO)
&Number of people living on Toronto streets increases: Survey
&Houseless tenants "will" be forced out of London
Lest we not forget!
