Accused murderer released and FREE TO GO under NM Bail Reform goes on the run

“Three seemingly random murders had police baffled earlier this year. A young mother, a 25-year-old man and another man who had won big at a casino — all dead. Then in June, police had a breakthrough in the investigation. They arrested Pena Santiesteban, 34, and Gloria Chavez, 26. Santiesteban remains in jail, but Chavez was released with an ankle monitor and was forbidden from leaving Bernalillo County. But there was a problem. Chavez’s ankle monitor died and she went missing for weeks. Police arrested Chavez alongside Santisteban in June after a May murder spree, charged with murder, conspiracy, and harboring a felon. The random robberies and execution-style murders led law enforcement to Santa Rosa, where the pair was caught. After Chavez’s release on an ankle monitor, KOB has learned exclusively that Chavez could not be found for weeks. According to court information, she failed to appear last month on the July 27 for a check of her status. Her GPS tracking device went cold, the batteries were dead, and she didn’t answer the phone. Chavez missed a urine test almost a month ago, and her GPS monitor stopped working on Aug. 2. The last signal came from Santa Rosa — the site of her arrest. A statewide bench warrant was issued for Chavez, and KOB discovered she was re-arrested Monday afternoon. Back in June, Bernalillo County prosecutors asked Judge Brett Loveless to keep Chavez in jail. She has failed to appear on two previous cases and she’s had five addresses in seven years. Pretrial services even recommended jail before trial.”

(Caleb James, “Accused murderer missing for one month after ankle monitor goes dead,” KOB.com, 8/14/2017)

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