The cops are now looking for a suspect they fear is a serial killer after murdering 11 persons including a fetus and leaving 8 women missing.
Authorities suspect a serial killer could be behind the deaths of 11 women and an unborn, who were discovered buried more than a decade ago in the desert on the edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico. City and law enforcement officials have solicited help from the community to solve the West Mesa murders.
According to A&E, the group burial of the women and unborn baby in the West Mesa murders are the indications of a work of serial killer’s work. February 2 is marked as the 13th anniversary where the 1st remains linked to the murders found.
Police Chief Harold Medina, who was a lieutenant on the graveyard shift when the discovery was made said: “I think that we have to remember that we can never give up hope.”
During the press conference on the 13th anniversary, someone announced that there are more than a few suspects in the said murders, even as investigators have ruled out potential suspects.
Tim Keller, Albuquerque Mayor said: “The only way this case is going to get solved is with our community’s help or even communities around us that might know something. We need new information on this case, that is what is going to lead to it getting solved.”
In 2009, the Albuquerque Police Department said that they found bones of 11 girls and women who disappeared from 2003 to 2005. A human bone of a woman who was walking her dog on the mesa not far from new housing development was discovered.
It was the first of many skeletal remains that would be unearthed as part of an intense around-the-clock excavation that was followed by a nearly yearlong effort to identify the victims based on DNA and dental records.
According to authorities, 10 out of 11 women were tied to drugs and prostitution. The women have been identified by the authorities as Monica Candelaria, Victoria Chavez, Virginia Cloven, Syllannia Edwards, Cinnamon Elks, Doreen Marquez, Julie Nieto, Veronica Romero, Evelyn Salazar, Michelle Valdez, and Jamie Barela.
A few years before the discovery, Detective Ida Lopez noticed women with ties to drugs and prostitution had been vanishing from Albuquerque. All of the women who made the detective’s list were among those found at the mass grave site on Albuquerque’s west side.
Newsweek reported that eight women are still missing and have a similar background to the ones who have been already identified by law enforcement officials.
After reading their names during the conference City Councilor Klarissa Pena said: “These family members just want closure. We hope that there are tips out there or anybody who knows anything that can help in closing this case so the families can finally put their family members to rest in peace.”
“The police department, FBI, and the families are offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest and successful prosecution,” she added.
The police department says it is still receiving tips from the tip-line database. They have had over 1,184 tips documented to date. The police also have a task force investigating the unsolved cases.
Chief Medina said: “13 years is a long time to wait for justice and we are committed to finding answers for all the families who lost loved ones to this tragedy.”
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