A 16-year-old boy has been accused of killing his parents and two siblings in New Mexico after drunkenly calling 911 to confess to the massacre.
Diego Leyva was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and booked as an adult after he allegedly shot his family members before turning himself on Saturday.
Investigators said Leyva, from Belén, Valencia province, was “extremely drunk” when police arrived to arrest him in the early hours of S, and that they found a gun on the kitchen table inside.
“Officers entered the home to find four deceased persons,” police said in a statement.
The victims have since been identified as Leonardo Leyva, 42, and Adriana Bencomo, 35, and teenagers Adrian and Alexander Leyva, aged 16 and 14, all killed from suspected gunshot wounds.
They added that Leyva was taken into custody “without incident” and checked into a local hospital “for detox” before being admitted to a juvenile detention center in Albuquerque, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Belen.
Police are conducting interviews to try to understand a motive for the tragic events, and plan to refer the case to the Public Prosecution Service for prosecution after the investigation is completed.
Police are still trying to find a motive for the murders Saturday morning in Belen (photo: Leonardo Leyva and Adriana Bencomo)
The 16-year-old was arrested Saturday morning and taken to hospital for detoxification
Adriana Bencomo (center) was a volunteer firefighter and was tragically found dead in her home in Valencia when police arrived to arrest Diego Leyva
State police detectives were still on scene as of 6:15 a.m. Monday processing the scene and speaking with locals.
According to the Valencia Fire Department, Adriana was an active volunteer firefighter.
The department shared their condolences in a tribute on social media.
“Adriana Bencomo was an active volunteer firefighter with the Rio Communities Fire Department and served for many years,” the statement said.
“Our brothers and sisters at RCFD are, as expected, shocked and saddened by this loss.
“The Valencia County Fire Department and Belen Fire Department have deployed additional personnel to assist with calls in Rio communities, and the VCFD Peer Support Team has been activated to assist members with this loss.”
One of Diego’s former teachers said she was surprised by the news.
“I never thought something like this would happen and that Diego would be capable of something like that,” Vanessa LaGrange said the Guardian.
“Everyone is in shock,” she added.
Police said Leyva called 911 on Saturday morning, December 14, around 3:30 a.m. local time and told them he had killed his relatives.
He was taken to an unnamed hospital to detox from alcohol before being admitted to the Juvenile Justice Center around 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Police added that a motive was still unknown.
Reporters arrive on the scene after police arrested 16-year-old Diego early Saturday morning
Police have said a motive for the family’s killing is still unknown
Adriana (left) was an active volunteer firefighter, according to the Valencia County Fire Department
Superintendent Lawrence Sanchez wrote in a statement shared by the Belen Consolidated Schools district on Sunday: “We are deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic event of his family being murdered by a BHS student last Saturday.
“Our thoughts go out to the victims, their loved ones and everyone affected by this devastating loss.
“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 all.”
The statement said the district would offer additional counseling services and urged any students in need of mental health care to contact a teacher or principal.
Saturday’s slayings were the 29th mass killing in the U.S. this year, defined as an attack that kills four or more victims by the Gun Violence Archive.