Las Cruces Police continue looking for man in alleged beating of 61-year-old

Las Cruces Police continue to ask for the public’s help in finding a man wanted in connection with the beating of a man and theft of the man’s vehicle.

Abel Montes, 17, who lived in Las Cruces or Vado, New Mexico, may now be in the El Paso area or in Mexico and could be traveling with his girlfriend, 41-year-old Martina Hernandez of Las Cruces.

Las Cruces Police say the woman may no longer be traveling with Montes voluntarily.

Police have released photos of Montes and Hernandez with the hopes of gaining information on their whereabouts.

At about 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, police were sent to the 5300 block of Sunny Acres Drive on the city’s East Mesa where a 61-year-old man was falling in and out of consciousness.

Police say the victim had been dropped off just inside city limits on Peach Tree Hills and his vehicle, a 2002 Dodge Neon, had been stolen.

The victim made his way to a home on Sunny Acres Drive where he sought help.

He was in critical condition with blunt force trauma to his head when flown to University Medical Center of El Paso. He is still hospitalized.

The victim’s Dodge Neon was located in El Paso a couple days after the incident.

Montes is Hispanic and described as 6-foot-2 and weighs about 150 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Hernandez is Hispanic, 5-foot-2 and weighs about 160 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Montes and Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to his apprehension. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Montes or Hernandez is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or send a tip by text message to CRIMES (274637), keyword LCTIPS.

The Crime Stoppers number and text messaging services are operational 24 hours a day and you do not have to give your name to collect a reward.