Posted on 07/14/2009 5:09:42 AM PDT by marktwain
BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) - The former Marine who contends he acted in self-defense when he killed a burglary suspect was just trying to do the right thing, his wife told News 13 Monday.
Heather Sanchez said she was in shock when she heard about the July 4 shooting. Her husband, Luke Sanchez, was arrested on an open count of murder and has since bonded out of jail.
The shooting ignited a public debate over whether Sanchez was acting as a vigilante or as a good citizen who defended himself when one of the burglars attacked him.
"I have received so many calls and letters and visits it's so overwhelming," Heather Sanchez said in an interview. "Luke and I are just humbled by how much community support we have, people I don't know, people from across the country."
Luke Sanchez told investigators he had gone out on Fourth of July evening to buy sparklers for his wife and child. But along the way he called 911 to report witnessing two men breaking into Enchantment Propane in Belen.
He followed the men's minivan. But when the van stopped Sanchez said Gary Gabaldón came at him, broke out his truck window and tried to attack him.
That's when Sanchez shot and killed Gabaldón.
The other accused burglar, Rudy Sisneros, drove away from the scene that night but turned himself in and was arrested a few days later.
Heather Sanchez said her husband, a former military police officer, is a good man "who just wanted to do the right thing."
The District Attorney Lemuel Martinez said last week he will consider Sanchez's claim of self-defense but is waiting for the investigation to be completed before deciding how to proceed with the case.
Exactly!
You're put in the position of “proving” that the perp, in turn, became an imminent threat.
I believe that's clearly true in this case, but it answers your question.
In a state that elects people like Bill Richardson, you can expect just about anything.
Belen NM is a good town, but your family name has a lot to do with how you are treated by the law.
I lived in NM for 14 years, and have friends in Belen.
NM is still a very different State.
Not quite.
The “crime scene” was the perp attacking the man in his car. When the perp broke through the glass the man shot the perp.
If those are in fact the facts of the case, case closed.
They may try to argue that he sought trouble by following the vehicle instad of merely taking down the license number and reporting it to the “authorities”.
I can almost hear that line.
I read these sorts of stories and thank the Good Lord I live in Mississippi. Our LEO, mostly, operate on COMMON SENSE. Can’t say the same for my mayor though, I’ll allow you to guess her party affiliation.
Several months ago, a 79 man heard someone breaking down his door. It was about 4 in the afternoon. He shot the guy twice with a 45, through the door. No charges were filed; the DA determined it was self defense. Seems the perp had a long record. There was no reason for him to be whacking on the old man’s door other than to break in.
Yes “quite”!
The point I made about the reason for the murder charge is accurate.
Your point about why it is self-defense is unfortunately what the victim is in the position of having to prove.
“I would like to know what evidence exists to support the murder charge.”
He’s a Marine. What other evidence do they need?
The Make My Day law changed that.
The Gabaldon's are a powerful family, Sanchez is the wrong clan. The DA Martinez had dismissed "assualting an officer" charges 3 times on the dead perp in the past.
It's a very New Mexican thing.
This guy is probably NOT a running away risk.
No need for bail or an arest. Just put him on notice not to leave town.
I just did a search on Gabaldon and New Mexico. You aren't kidding about that. I guess it would be like shooting one of the Kennedy cousins while he's committing a crime in Massachusetts. Even if he's not a part of the main family, just the last name would bring down the law on anyone who crossed him.
That’s about the size of it.
We had a similar case here in Atlanta. Our prosecutors made an unusually correct decision. A handicapped 65 year old man in a van was stopped by a much younger man because of road rage. The younger man got in front of the older man's van and was threatening to drag him into the street and kill him. The Older man pulled a .357 and shot him dead through the windshield. Case closed. Guess that was the wrong old man to pick on.
According to the story, he followed them (completely legal) and ended up being attacked by one of them. He did not "track down and kill" the suspect.
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