Trial begins for suspected “murder for hire” double homicide in Doña Ana County

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Opening arguments began Tuesday in the trial for a Doña Ana County woman accused of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-boyfriend in 2018.

In March 2018, authorities arrested Cristal Cardenas, 29, and her boyfriend, Luis Flores, 30. They were charged with the murders of Mario Cabral, the ex-boyfriend of Cardenas, and Vanessa Mora, his new girlfriend.

In 2018, ABC-7 obtained documents that revealed authorities knew about the "murder for hire" plot a month before the couple was killed.

According to the criminal complaints, Cardenas and Cabral were in a bitter custody dispute over their daughter. Authorities say Cardenas paid Edward Alonso $3,000 to kill Cabral. Cardenas allegedly told Alonso that if he could not kill her ex-boyfriend, her new boyfriend "would do it for her."

Prosecutors say Alonso approached federal agents to "reach a deal" and had multiple meetings with the FBI. He was shortly arrested in Chaves County and taken into custody. Authorities say he was in jail at the time of the double homicide.

Authorities arrested Cardenas and Flores on March 28, 2018, in connection with the killings of Cabral and his new girlfriend, Mora on March 25, 2018.