Suspect in Salas family shooting possibly spotted in New Mexico

The person suspected of shooting three members of the Salas family, killing the father, on Thanksgiving Day may have been spotted in Las Cruces, the Las Cruces Police Department told ABC-7.

LCPD, however, did not confirm when the suspect was seen or if the suspect is still in the Las Cruces area. A spokesperson for the police department told the ABC 7 I-team their first priority is to assist the El Paso Police Department with the homicide investigation.

Police Monday identified the victims as 58-year-old Lorenza Salas, 24-year-old Johnathon Salas and 58-year-old Juan Salas. Police said Juan Salas was pronounced dead at the scene. Lorenza and Johnathan remain hospitalized in critical condition.

“Investigators believe that the victims were not specific targets of this home invasion,” police said in a news release.

The ABC-7 I-team has also learned the suspect may have been seen at a border patrol checkpoint. ABC-7 is working to confirm that information.

ABC-7 reached out to the El Paso Police Department and was told by a police spokesperson investigators have leads, but are not releasing that information. The spokesperson also told ABC-7 they are not confirming a motive yet, as they do not want to jeopardize the investigation.

A neighbor, Cindy Vaquera, who lives in the neighborhood told ABC 7 that the suspect allegedly broke into the back door of the home and wanted to steal the family’s car. Vaquera said the suspect shot the father and the son in the head when they ran into the kitchen to see what the commotion was about. Vaquera said that the suspect then reportedly shot the mother, but she was able to escape.

Vaquera said, “the girl (who was shot) going over there (across the street) to ask for help and passing out there on her porch, so she held her until the ambulance and police and everybody got here, so I mean it was really scary.”

Three members of the Salas family were shot on Thanksgiving Day in Northeast El Paso. A family friend identified the three victims as family members.

As previously reported by ABC-7, close family friends said a suspect broke into the home of the Salas family and shot the 58-year-old father, who died at the home.

The son, shot in the head during the incident, and the mother, shot in the eye, both remain in the Intensive Care Unit, according to the Go Fund Me account set up by the family’s relatives.

Here is the link GoFundMe Page set up for the Salas Family.