Las Cruces man sentenced for murdering his wife in 2019

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- A Las Cruces court sentenced Juan Baños-Lopez to 15 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Amberly Busby Lopez.

Baños-Lopez was convicted of the second degree murder charge in March. Las Cruces Police arrived at the couple's home on the 3100 block of Posada Court in Las Cruces on November 9, 2019 after getting a 911 call from the couple's son. The son reportedly told dispatchers he overheard his father say he had killed Amberly and was about to kill himself.

Officers broke into the house and found blood on the floor of the home. They found Baños-Lopez with a kitchen knife in his chest. First responders saved him, but Amberly was already dead. Investigators say she had been stabbed four times. Police say the couple had been experiencing marital problems.

The death was ruled a homicide. In a hospital interview, Baños-Lopez told investigators he had stabbed Amberly several times.