CITY OF ESPANOLA NEWS RELEASE
The City of Española Police Department is working closely with area agencies to locate a person of interest in several robberies in northern New Mexico. During the latest robbery, at an Española business on Tuesday night (August 16, 2022), an employee was shot and did not survive. The name of the deceased has not been released pending notification to the victim’s family.
“My heartfelt sympathies go out to the family,” Española Mayor John Ramon Vigil said, adding, “the safety of the public is my first priority.”
Vigil’s administration added three new police positions to the department in the July 1st budget. The city also increased the pay for uniformed personnel. “We are recruiting to increase our police presence. We are in the hiring process this week for certified officers and police cadets,” Vigil said.
On Monday the Española Police Department released a statement seeking assistance from the public to locate Ricky Martinez. The 31-year-old is the primary suspect in armed robberies in a wide area that includes Española, Taos, and Santa Fe. Martinez is wanted by the US Marshal’s office for an undisclosed federal warrant.