Dead Woman’s Caregiver Charged With Forgery
Las Cruces Police have charged an Adult Protective Services caregiver with multiple counts of forgery after the woman profited from the death of one of her clients.
Maria E. Hobbs, 54, of the 1200 block of Burke Road, is charged with eight counts of forgery including two second-degree felony counts, five fourth-degree felonies and one third-degree felony. Hobbs was arrested Thursday, Dec. 2, by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $55,000.
LCPD detectives learned that Hobbs was a client services agent with APS, a division of New Mexico ‘s Aging and Long Term Services Department, and was involved in the care of Mary N. Fix who was suffering from advanced dementia.
Police said detectives discovered that in the months prior to the Aug. 2 death of Mary Fix, Hobbs created a last will and testament naming herself as the recipient of the woman’s residence on Hamiel Drive, a 1965 Ford Mustang and the funds from the woman’s bank account.
Police said detectives found out that on the day Fix died, Hobbs took a $300 check from the woman and deposited it into her own checking account. Police said the memo on the check, apparently written by Hobbs, stated the check was for “Mary’s car title and registration.”
Police also said Hobbs forged and deposited other checks belonging to Fix. Hobbs deposited a $70,000 check, dated June 15, from Ms. Fix into her account on Sept. 7. A $35,000 check that was dated July 8 was deposited into Hobbs ‘ account on Sept. 9. That same day, Sept. 9, Hobbs wrote out a personal check in the amount of $48,548 to purchase a mobile home from Palm Harbor Homes, according to police.
Fix established a living trust in 2004 naming Washburn University as the beneficiary of her estate upon her death, according to police. Police began investigating the case on Sept. 17 when a financial advisor with Prudential Financial Group contacted police after attempting to execute Ms. Fix’s trust.
