Man wanted in killing of mom, daughter in New Mexico surrenders in El Paso
A 20-year old man wanted in the slayings of a college student and her mother in Albuquerque turned himself into El Paso police, authorities said Sunday.
Jesus Cartagena Jr. was being held on suspicion of two open counts of murder in the deaths of 19-year old Shanta Hanish and 58-year-old Laura Hanish.
According to a criminal complaint, Cartagena allegedly told El Paso police he had “done something bad in Albuquerque” and had “hurt someone really bad.”
Officers noticed Cartagena’s clothing appeared bloody, and he had injuries to both arms, according to the complaint.
El Paso police Sgt. Enrique Carrillo confirmed Cartagena was booked into jail late Saturday night and said Albuquerque homicide detectives were expected to take him back to New Mexico on Monday.
An arrest warrant affidavit said Shanta Hanish had been dating Cartagena for four to five years but had broken up with him within the past two weeks and moved back in with her mother.
According to the criminal complaint, friends and family told police that Cartagena wouldn’t leave Shanta Hanish alone. It alleged that he had been following her to work and calling her dozens of times. It also said Cartagena had been in and out of the hospital after making suicidal threats.
Albuquerque officers found the bodies of the two women in their home about 9 a.m. Friday after Laura Hanish ​​​​​​failed to show up for work.
The criminal complaint filed indicated that both women appeared to have been stabbed numerous times and a large knife was found near one of the bodies.
Shanta Hanish was a student at the University of New Mexico while Laura Hanish was due to retire this year after 24 years as a social worker at the public defender’s office.
Albuquerque police said their detectives had tracked Cartagena to the El Paso/Juarez area before he turned himself in to El Paso police on Saturday night.
APD homicide detectives identified Jesus Cartagena Jr as the suspect in Friday’s double homicide in SE ABQ. He was booked into jail in El Paso and is charged with 2 open counts of murder. pic.twitter.com/CqOylBR1lr
— Albuquerque Police (@ABQPOLICE) June 23, 2019
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller released a statement saying he was heartbroken over the lives senselessly taken and added that police were using every available resource to see that justice was done.
(The Associated Press, KOAT/ABC, and KRQE/CNN contributed to this report.)
