Holloman Air Force Sergeant, Wife Indicted In Child’s Death

A U.S. Air Force sergeant and his wife have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the 2007 death of their infant daughter.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said 27-year-old Peter John Zayas and 30-year-old Sophia Monique Zayas were arrested Tuesday. They made their first appearance in federal court in Las Cruces on Thursday.

Air Force officials called the girl’s death a tragedy that touched many people on the Holloman Air Force Base.

“The magnitude of the loss, it’s such a tragedy to lose a young child like this. The entire base community was hurt then, and there are people who are still here now who knew them and had seen the child,” Capt. Luke Spencer, chief of military justice at Holloman, told ABC-7.

FBI investigators said the 2-month-old baby died in 2007, and it’s taken a long and thorough investigation to get to this point.

“There have been a lot of twists and turns in getting to where we are now. Every investigation is just different — a lot of people to talk to, medical reports, things of that nature. There is no standard time. It seems like a very long time, but some investigations take longer than this,” Spencer said.

The couple is charged with one count of child abuse resulting in the death of a child, three counts of child abuse and three counts of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm.

FBI investigators alleged the couple intentionally tortured and punished their 2-month-old daughter on several occasions between Aug. 16, 2007 and Oct. 22, 2007, and she died as a result.

“There was a death that was reported to law enforcement here on base, and it has been investigated since that time. It’s a joint operation between our Air Force office of special investigations and the FBI,” Spencer said.

Air Force officials said Peter Zayas was an airman in the 29th Attack Squadron and was promoted to staff sergeant in 2010.

Peter Zayas has been stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, where the abuse allegedly occurred. Base officials told ABC-7 the abuse allegedly took place inside the Zayas’ home on base.

“We feel like our people are the best of the best, but sometimes they fall. They commit crimes. That’s why we have our own justice system,” Spencer said.

U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Elizabeth Martinez attributed the delay in filing charges to an extensive forensic investigation and a state investigation.

If convicted, the couple could face life in prison for abuse resulting in the death of a child, on top of the other charges they are accused of. Peter Zayas could also face military consequences.

“If he were convicted, it would be addressed as far as his status in the military. What those consequences could be are kind of collateral to what’s going on now, and I don’t want to speculate on what may or may not occur,” Spencer said.

Both parents are being held at the Doa Ana County Detention Center until their arraignment Tuesday morning in federal court in Las Cruces.