Levi found Tera shot dead in their. View the profiles of people named Levi Chavez. action 7 . As week three of the Levi Chavez murder trial wound down prosecutors started playing up another possible motive for him to kill his wife Tera. Comparing Online Sportsbook Welcome Bonuses. I told you guys that from the beginning. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. BERNALILLO, N.M. The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun. Prosecutor Bryan McKay, who told jurors during closing arguments that Chavez used his department-issued gun to commit 'cold-blooded, calculated, planned-out murder,' declined to comment after the verdict. The court also heard that Hindi had been texting Levi Chavez just three weeks after his wifes death and suggesting that the two get married. Im not guilty. Levi and Tera Chavez were high school sweethearts who married young and were raising two children together. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. New Mexico, 2007: Tera Chavez, a police officer's wife, is found shot dead in the mouth of an apparent suicide. He is suing the detective who first launched the investigation into the 2007 death of Levi's wife, Tera Chavez. Tera, a four-year-old girl, died in August 2017 when her car seat was too full of pillows and blankets while she was strapped into it. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Josh Mankiewicz reports. Within two months of her death, he was engaged to a former colleague at the Albuquerque Police Department, Heather Hindi, and they were married a few months later, PEOPLE wrote. I wasnt worried.. INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated. . Under the name Heading Home, this organization has connections in New Mexico, according to its website. Emergency Housing Director, Westside Emergency Housing Center. Jorge was born on August 28, 1961 in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. Josh Mankiewicz reports. Levi has undergraduate degrees from UNM and CNM, as well as a law degree from the UNM School of Law. READ NEXT: Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. The murder trial of Chavezs wife lasted over two years, according to KOAT. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. Tera Chavez had been looking for a business space to rent for her salon and had an appointment to meet a landlord just two days after the day she died, Alibi wrote. He finally went on trial for the allegations brought against him in 2013, a full two years after the charges were first brought. Chavez told jurors that he found his wife dead from a gunshot wound and thought it was God's way of punishing him. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Dateline: Unforgettable's upcoming episode, in a re-broadcast, will cover the story of Tera Chavez's tragic death while also narrating the heated and controversial trial of her cop husband, Levi Chavez. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. They also said hed had other affairs, including with some of the neighbors and other Albuquerque police officers. Her Albuquerque police officer husband found her and called 911. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. Her relationship with Chavez started when he was still married to Marisabel. It was hailed as a new era when designers finally recognised 'real women' but they have once again been sidelined by stick-thin models, Taking the Mickey! One key talking point during the investigation into Tera Chavezs death and the murder trial was how quickly Levi Chavez appeared to have moved on. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. He will face a much higher judge upon his death and he wont have a slick as ownsh*t jew loyah to bamboozle the jury. According to the prosecution, she was on the verge of filing a complaint against him for fraudulent activity. At first, because of how the crime scene looked, Teras death was ruled a suicide. Powered by. I didnt do anything wrong, KOAT reported. The two met twice thereafter to have sex before Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head. While Levi Chavez has maintained his innocence and that his wife committed suicide, her family has remained firm in their belief that she was killed, Alibi reported. I knew Id be acquitted. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. By abqjournal. The other half of Heather Chavezs wish never came to pass. I didnt speak with her.. According to reports, an Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer Levi Chaves was suspected of shooting and murdering his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez, with his issued service gun after investigators reportedly presumed that he attempted to cover up the crime as a suicide. Not among them was APD officer Steve Hindi, to whom Heather was married at the time. Chavezs bio states that hes the emergency housing director at the Westside Emergency Housing Center. ROYALE, LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER TERA CHAVEZ DIED-THEN A-P-D DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI WAS ALREADY TEXTING LEVI ABOUT HER NAME BECOMING HEATHER CHAVEZ INDICATING SHE WANTED TO MARRY HIM. On the night of Oct. 21, 2007, the lives of one couple from Los Lunas, New Mexico were changed forever. She knew every single secret about me no matter what. Chavez also had a younger brother, Aaron. Levi Chavez was working at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department when he was arrested in 2011, but it wasnt until two years later, in 2013, that he stood trial for the charges against him. In July 2013, after a month-long trial, the verdict from the jury came in: not guilty. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a . The Officer's Wife When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. Dated Nov. 14, 2007, it was from a fellow APD officer whose name, at the time, was Heather Hindi. Im not guilty. Witnesses also described a workplace where interoffice romance was rampant and said both Levi and Tera Chavez had affairs with members of the police force. Chavez was acquitted of the first-degree murder charge and told reporters outside the courtroom, Im not surprised at all. He told the operator she killed herself and that he hadnt said anything because He thought she needed time.. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. BREAKING: Former APD officer Levi Chavez back in jail: A Valencia County judge has sent Levi Chavez back to jail after a hearing on Wednesday. Levi Chavez claimed he returned to their Los Lunas, New Mexico, home on Oct. 22, 2007, to find his wife's dead body in bed after taking a bullet right into the 26-year-old's mouth. Do not sell or share my personal information. Keener pressed Heather Chavez on a statement she made during her deposition that her sexual relationship began in a car. "What did I tell you?" May 1, 2008. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. Tera Chavez was just 26 years old when she was found dead of a gunshot wound on October 22, 2007. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. Chavez claimed that his wife committed suicide because of his many affairs. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Her family said they knew there was trouble in the relationship and they had heard Levi Chavez was cheating on his wife, Alibi reported. Levi Chavez came back the following week and did exactly that. Also in court this morning, jurors heard a heavily redacted recording of the deposition Levi Chavez gave in the civil case. A former cop was acquitted on Tuesday of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun after a month-long trial that has revealed secrets of affairs and alleged corruption within an Albuquerque police force. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. [1] Serna told Chavez. I told you guys that from the beginning. She testified this morning that she is currently assigned to the APD Crimes Against Children Unit. when did the romantic relationship start? As soon as this grand jury indictment came out, Levi was fired from the Albuquerque Police Department, from where he had been on administrative leave for over a year. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer Levi Chavez's current wife, Heather Chavez, took the stand Friday.She detailed the development of the pair's relationship following the death of Levi Chavez's former wife, Tera. Tera Chavez died on 22nd October 2007 at Los Lunas, New Mexico, United States, she was 26 years old during her time of death and according to the report she died from a gunshot wound from her husband's service weapon. Chavez was accused of killing his hairdresser wife, Tera, with his police-issued handgun and making it look like a suicide in October 2007. Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. In the 6-week-long court hearing, there were testimonies from police officers, pathologists, the women Levi had affairs with, as well as Teras family. Facebook The Harwood Museum of Art's exhibition 'Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy' explores this history through archival photographs and contemporary art. Valencia County sheriffs initially ruled the death as a suicide due to the "close proximity of the gun to the body. Levi also asserted that when Tera apparently killed herself, he was away, spending the weekend at one of his girlfriends apartment. However, nearly four years after Tera took her last breath, Levi was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. Play it now! Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. Cinemaholic reports that Chavez was accepted at the University of New Mexico Law School and began studying for his degree in 2016, where he specialized in criminal law. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. Following the verdict, emotional family members of Tera Chavez were quickly escorted out of Sandoval District Court, the result of an edict from state District Judge George Eichwald who sought to ease tensions between the two families. Read More: Where Are Tera Chavezs Parents Now? Then, on April 7, 2011, the police officer was charged with Tera Chavezs murder, arrested and fired from his job with the police department, KOAT wrote. She liked to draw, and she liked to write poetry, she recalled. Witnesses also described a workplace where interoffice romance was rampant and said both Levi and Tera Chavez had affairs with members of the police force. Shed never leave them of her own will. Her husband Levi Chavez, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, was the one who called 911 and told them shed committed suicide. It took two years following Chavezs arrest for the trial to move forward due to delays from civil trials, motion hearings and the trial having to move venues, according to KOAT. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like. Levi Chavez and Tera Chavez. July 17, 2013 / 10:40 AM BUT HEATHER INSISTS THE WOMEN NEVER SPOKE. Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. So where is Levi Chavez now? Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Police officer Levi Chavez called 911 in 2007 to report that hed come home to find his wife deceased of a headshot wound. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Through witness testimony, the public learned that Chavez had been having a number of affairs while married to Tera Chavez. Three weeks after Teras death, Levi Chavez was having sex with another woman in the home near Los Lunas from which authorities had removed Tera Chavezs body, according to the mistresss testimony. Her husband Levi is suspected soon after because of suspicious circumstantial evidence, but there is no confession, eyewitness or 'smoking gun' forensic evidence. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. The official synopsis of the episode says. Chavez called 911 to report the alleged suicide around 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007. / CBS News. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. Heavy reached out to the university for more information about his admittance but did not immediately hear back. With the departure of our son, Jorge Levi Chavez, to eternity, I write that he was not a son from the womb but from the. Her twin brother described her as a strong woman and a loving mother. 'I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary,' Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. I did WE ALSO LEARNED TODAY THAT UNDERNEATH THE MATTRESS ON WHICH TERA CHAVEZ WAS FOUND DEAD WAS A CALL LOG FROM LEVI'S CELL PHONE. 'I took her for granted.'. YouTubeLevi Chavezs second wife Heather testifying during the trial. The trial revealed a crumbling marriage that was. Chavez was eventually charged with first-degree murder and obstructing justice, responding to which he entered a not guilty plea and, to date, asserts his innocence. She was an indoor girl, kind of girly. For instance, detectives said that the night before the young mothers death, Levi Chavez was at his girlfriends house, according to PEOPLE. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light . That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head, a text message popped up on his cellphone suggesting that a new marriage wasn't far off.. Levi has undergraduate degrees from UNM and CNM, as well as a law degree from the UNM School of Law. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. ", As the murder case gained more attention from the media and public, Chavez and the Albuquerque Police Department became the targets of heavy scrutiny. Yet, with no proof of the former, he couldnt be charged or arrested for fraud. [2] In March 2020, Nob Hill mainstay Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Homeowner finds gruesome animal skeleton hidden behind cupboard for 30 years - so can you guess what it is? Some of the affairs were with female APD officers.[4]. KRQE News 13 has learned former Albuquerque Police officer Levi Chavez, who was fired after he was charged with the murder of his wife, could soon be working closely with the city as part of a non- Serna said his client was a victim of an overly aggressive former detective and 'lies' from local media outlets, although none reported Serna ever requesting for a retraction or correction from any stories since 2007. Detective Jones, who suspected that Levi Chavez had murdered his wife eighteen to twenty hours before he . Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. Im innocent. This time, Levi Chavez said he is the one who has been wronged. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Levi Chavez, ex-police officer, not guilty of murdering wife", "Levi Chavez relinquishes police certification", "Extramarital affairs take center stage in ex-cop murder trial", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Levi_Chavez&oldid=1082952788, Articles needing additional references from March 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Former police officer, Attorney at Law, www.levichavezlaw.com, This page was last edited on 16 April 2022, at 03:25. Instead, only the audio position of the recording was played in court. Previous Post According to reports, an Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer Levi Chaves was suspected of shooting and murdering his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez, with his issued service gun after. Now her parents speak to News 13. 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Woke professor who opposes charter schools sent her sons to Manhattan's $60,000-a-year Dalton Prep: Denies hypocrisy and blames ex-husband, Defense says evidence is consistent with suicide, Cops at Albuquerque Police Department accused of tampering with evidence. But on that night in October, Levi, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, called 911 to report that he'd found his wife dead in their home. During his trial, he was found not guilty of first-degree murder and was acquitted of the charges. Thats the past, Heather Chavez said in court today. "What did I tell you?" Serna told Chavez. Powered by. 'I don't feel like speaking for his future.'. Levi Chavez's current wife takes the stand, Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez. Prosecutors had sought to keep from jurors what Serna described in explicit detail as sexual photographs and videos Tera had taken of herself and sent to Levi. He also told her she should have more information., I listened, Heather Chavez said about the interview. A former Albuquerque police officer has been acquitted of murder in the death of his wife after a trial that contained a series of salacious revelations about his extramarital affairs with. Under often-contentious cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener that bordered on combative, Heather Chavez conceded that October 2007 wasnt the first time she had ever spoken to Levi Chavez. WE ALSO LEARNED FRIDAY THAT HEATHER-WENT TO TERA CHAVEZ'S FUNERAL. Katrina Garley testified that she met Levi Chavez when he walked into the Verizon cellphone store in Los Lunas to buy a phone in early October 2007. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. Season 2 Episode 2 of Dateline: Unforgettable is scheduled to air on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on Oxygen, with Josh Mankiewicz reporting on the story. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. THE DEFENSE REVEALED TERA CALLED AT LEAST EIGHT NUMBERS ON THAT LIST-- INCLUDING HEATHER IN SEPTEMBER 2007. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. His new wife, Heather Hindi, who was one of his fellow officers, also testified on the stand. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Aug 19, 2008 . The two exchanged seven telephone calls on May 12 of that year, according to cellphone records that investigators found under a mattress Tera Chavezs body was lying on. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Plunged into the limelight: Camilla 'wants her five teenage grandchildren to take centre stage at Charles's coronation alongside the King's Royal heirs - performing a role previously given to Duchesses as the new Queen is anointed with holy oil', Newspaper comic strip Dilbert gets canceled after its creator is branded racist for warning white people to 'get the f**k away' from black people - before doubling down on his beliefs. The call did not go to voicemail. Her mother said she wants the kids to know, Shed never leave them. Levi was ultimately cleared of all charges. According to several local coverages, the news of his admission to the university inspired mixed reactions from alumni and other students. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Published: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 2:03PM. The lawsuit against Jones was dismissed in 2018. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. Tera Chavez. (AP) BERNALILLO, New Mexico - The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun. Levi Chavez eventually filed a federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, who was a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death and was one of the first on the scene. Prosecutors allege that Levi Chavez shot Tera Chavez, 26, once in the mouth with his APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol and tried to make it look like a suicide. Detective Aaron Jones with the Valencia County Sheriffs Office said he found Tera Chavezs diary, which detailed her despair and, in more recent times, her hopes for the future and her decision to leave her husband. Jones also told her that Levi Chavez had numerous affairs while he was married to Tera, but according to Keeners characterization of Heather Chavezs previous statements, she wasnt interested. . Heather Chavezs statement in court today was that the couple only kissed in the car. Following the not-guilty verdict, Chavez fileda federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . But I didnt see them, she said, adding later that she also didnt see any items that looked like they had belonged to Tera. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THAT LEVI BOUGHT HER A DIAMOND RING. The exchange led to several objections from Levi Chavezs lawyer, David Serna, and eventually devolved into a full-blown shouting match between Serna and Keener. In 2000, they tied the knot and moved to Virginia, where Levi was working as a Coast Guard. State District Judge George P. Eichwald instructed the two to Quit arguing back and forth like kids.. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head, a text message popped up on his cellphone suggesting that a new marriage wasnt far off. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light about the case and about Levi Chavez' personal life. This type of work affords great meaning to his life, as he and his team provide emergency housing to hundreds of our communitys most vulnerable individuals each night. Some extra notes, quotes, news and notes from the Lobos Friday night basketball game in Fort Collins, Colorado. But the disgraced former. Read a reflection on the importance of community partners from our WEHC Emergency Housing Director Levi Chavez. BERNALILLO Its impossible to say based on cellphone records where Levi Chavez was for 15 hours near the end of the three-day period during which prosecutors say he killed his wife in 2007, according to a cellphone company analyst who testified Thursday in the former APD officers murder trial. On redirect examination, Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener asked only one question. 'I'm very embarrassed about it,' Chavez said, then later added. Although the case initially looked like a suicide, investigators dug up evidence and theories that proved otherwise. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. Serna on Thursday spent two and a half hours cross-examining Citizen. They allege the former officer killed his wife to keep her from disclosing an alleged staged theft of a truck for insurance money. Her room was the best room in the house to walk into because it smelled so good.. 'He's got several plans in the works,' Serna said. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. All Rights Reserved. INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious. Levi Chavez. Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a congratulatory hug from his attorney David Serna on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, in Bernalillo, N.M., after a jury acquitted him of murder and tampering with evidence charges in the 2007 death of his estranged wife, Tera Chavez. August 7, 2015. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. John Fetterman Wife: Who Is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. Levi Chavez was charged with the murder of his wife, Tera, but he has maintained his innocence and said she committed suicide. 'Justice was not served,' Joseph Cordova, the father of Tera Chavez, said after listening to the verdict with his wife. He has full custody of his two children, according to Tera's parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. But on direct examination by Bryan McKay, senior trial attorney for the 13th Judicial District Attorneys Office, Garley testified that she also went to the home the Chavezes had shared at 11 Ash Place on the weekend of Nov. 11 and 12, 2007.