FBI still looking for leads a year after Las Cruces church bombings
The FBI is still looking for leads a year after two churches in Las Cruces were bombed.
At a news conference Tuesday, investigators said this is still an active investigation, but need the community’s help.
The person or people responsible for the church explosions remains at large and investigators have surveillance footage of a person of interest.
The FBI is offering a $20,000 award leading to the arrest and conviction of person or people responsible for the explosions.
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the FBI at 505-889-1300, or Las Cruces Crime Stoppers (anonymously) at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by text to CRIMES (274637), keyword LCTIPS.
Authorities also continue to look for a person of interest seen on a video outside Calvary Baptist Church before the explosion.
The explosions occurred on Sunday morning, Aug. 2, 2015 at Calvary Baptist Church and Holy Cross Catholic Church which are about three miles apart.
The explosions happened with 20 minutes of each other. No one was injured in either blast and no arrests have been made.
“I just hope that they find out what truly happened,” Margaret Sanchez, a parishioner at Holy Cross church said soon after the bombings.
Its still unknown who set off the two explosives at Calvary Baptist and Holy Cross churches. Police released surveillance video of a man at Calvary moments before one explosive went off, but months later, they have yet to identify him. In a news conference in August, FBI investigators stressed how difficult it would be to find the suspect.
“We just have a picture and we don’t even know how its related other than the proximity of time and location,” an FBI spokeswoman said.
“We’ve just gone on as normal, coming to church. but we do see the security guards out here all the time,” Sanchez said.
While the threats haven’t stopped parishioners from practicing their faith, its sparked many churches across Las Cruces to rethink their own security.
“We’ve removed a lot of the low shrubbery that was bushy that could conceal explosive,” Paul Cantrell, a member of the Las Cruces Church of Christ said.
Cantrell tells ABC-7 the bombings influenced his church to create a safety patrol to watch for suspicious activity. They also no longer allow unknown visitors to enter with backpacks.
“We have to start thinking about these other things and that’s sad,” Cantrell said.
Police say they’re still increasing patrol near churches on the weekends. They warn parishioners to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
“Even though we’re on the northern part of town where these have happened, we’re all part of the same community. So what affects one, affects all,” Cantrell said.
