Convicted killer charged in ‘bizarre’ home invasion allegedly demanded $250K from victim

Detectives with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office say a violent suspect who recently completed a 30-year prison sentence for second-degree murder has been charged in what they are describing as a “bizarre home invasion.”

Detectives arrested 58-year-old Samuel Ponce Chavez Friday after a call that involved an alleged home invasion by a suspect reportedly wearing a wig and a fake beard. The suspect allegedly demanded $250,000 from a disabled victim, court documents state.

Court documents state Chavez drove his silver 2011 Toyota pickup to the intersection of Arroyo Road and Sexton Lane and then rode a bicycle to a home in the 6400 block of Sexton Lane.

The 67-year-old resident of the home was sitting on the front porch when Chavez, reportedly wearing a black wig and fake beard, got off the bicycle and started to walk toward the man, allegedly pointing a black handgun at him.

The victim told detectives Chavez immediately began demanding money, saying he knew the victim had the money and if he didn’t turn it over, Chavez was going to kill him. “I know you have the money. I have been to your house in Los Lunas and I know you have it … Jason told me you have it,” Chavez allegedly told the victim, per court documents.

Chavez allegedly forced the victim inside the home and ordered him to sit on the kitchen table while Chavez allegedly zip-tied and duct-taped his hands together. The victim said Chavez continued to demand money from him, and allegedly took money the victim had in his front pocket.

The victim said Chavez asked whether anyone else lived on the property, and fearing for his life, the victim said his 21-year-old grandson lived in a separate structure on the same property. The victim was told to call his grandson and have him come over.

The victim complied, and the grandson walked in the front door a few minutes later. According to the grandson, Chavez allegedly hit him on the back of the head, causing him to lose consciousness. When he came to, Chavez was allegedly zip-tying and duct-taping his hands and feet together, detectives said.

Chavez reportedly asked the grandson about other residents on the property and went to the grandson’s home. Chavez came in contact with the grandson’s 23-year-old girlfriend, who he allegedly restraind as well, detectives said.

The grandson was able to break free and ran to a neighbor’s house for help calling 911.

Luckily, sheriff’s deputies were only about three minutes away and confronted Chavez at the residence. The suspect was still wearing the disguise and carrying the handgun, deputies said.

The deputies ordered Chavez to stop and drop the gun, but he allegedly ran out the front gate of the residence. Another responding deputy was coming around the corner in a marked unit and hit Chavez with his unit, detectives said.

After he was placed under arrest, deputies confirmed a black wig and fake beard were in the possession of Chavez, also wearing a bulletproof vest and an earpiece connected to a police scanner.

Chavez was transported to a Las Cruces-area hospital where he was treated for minor injuries. He was discharged the following day and transported to the Doña Ana County Detention Center.

Chavez is charged with three counts of kidnapping, one count of robbery, one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of attempting to commit a felony, possession of burglary tools and one count of resisting or obstructing an officer.

Deputies said he is being held without bond.

“I talked with my grandson and I said , ‘I guess we’re really lucky. He could’ve killed us both if he wanted to,'” the 67-year-old victim told ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Chavez was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges in June 1988. He allegedly used a shotgun to kill his friend, Roy Mintz.

A firefighter investigating smoke found Chavez outside his Mesilla home burning Mintz’s body in a U-Haul trailer, the Journal reported at the time. Chavez then allegedly extinguished the fire, and threw the body in his truck and fled, but crashed a few miles away.

The Journal also cited investigators who said Chavez stole three vehicles at gunpoint, took a hostage who later escaped, and avoided a roadblock and a border guard’s pistol shot as he fled from El Paso into Mexico.

Chavez was arrested by Mexican police a few days later and returned to the U.S. Chavez was carrying a sawed-off shotgun, a 9mm pistol and two knives when arrested, Mexican police said. He denied killing Mintz.

Chavez was released from prison on Jan. 28, 2012, and his parole expired in January of this year.