A New Mexico boy was caught and charged with murder after calling 911 to claim that he had murdered his parents and siblings.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, the New Mexico State Police announced in a news release that 16-year-old Diego Leyva had been charged with four charges of first-degree murder for allegedly killing four family members at their house in Belen, south of Albuquerque.
According to the statement, Leyva contacted 911 approximately 3:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, December 14, and told the operator that he had slain his family members.
“When deputies arrived, Diego walked out of the residence with his hands in the air and was extremely intoxicated,” state police said in a statement. “He was taken into custody without incident.”
Sheriff’s officers discovered two adults and two minors inside the home: Leonardo Leyva, 42, Adriana Bencomo, 35, Adrian Leyva, 16, and Alexander Leyva, 14. All of the individuals died from apparent gunshot wounds, and a weapon was discovered on the kitchen table, authorities said.
Leyva was transferred to a neighboring hospital to detox from alcohol before being booked into Albuquerque’s Juvenile Justice Center at 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Police stated that the case’s motivation remains unclear. The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau and Crime Scene Team are still investigating and will be “conducting interviews to learn what led up to these tragic events,” according to the announcement.
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On Sunday, the Belen Consolidated Schools system posted a statement on Facebook, stating that the district will be providing more counseling services and encouraging any children who need mental health assistance to contact a teacher or administrator.
“We are very grieved and disturbed by the awful tragedy of a BHS student murdering his family on Saturday. “Our hearts go out to the victims, their loved ones, and everyone affected by this tragic loss,” superintendent Lawrence Sanchez said in a statement.
“This heartbreaking incident reminds us of the importance of vigilance in addressing the challenges our youth face, promoting mental health awareness and ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for everyone,” Sanchez said.
“We are committed to working closely with law enforcement, school officials and community leaders to understand how such a tragedy could occur and to take steps to do our part in preventing anything like this from happening again,” according to the superintendent. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure our children and families feel safe, supported and valued.”
