Las Cruces man faces slew of charges after allegedly beating girlfriend, threatening her with knife

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – A Las Cruces man has been arrested and is accused of beating his girlfriend, threatening to kill her and trying to keep her from leaving his vehicle.

Arturo Barraza, 33, is charged with aggravated assault against a household member, tampering with evidence, battery and attempted false imprisonment.

At 8:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, Las Cruces police responded to a home along Valle Del Luz, where they found a woman with what they called “obvious signs of trauma” with bruises and lacerations on her face, head and left forearm.

The woman told police that she and Barraza have been in a long-term relationship and got into an argument while visiting relatives elsewhere in Las Cruces.

Barraza drove away from the relatives’ home with the girlfriend as his passenger.

Police say that as Barraza drove, he punched the victim multiple times on the side of the head. They also said that Barraza took out a large hunting knife and made several stabbing motions toward her.

According to police, he then used the butt-end of the kife to strike his girlfriend multiple times and threatened to kill her.

When they came to a stop at an intersection, the girlfriend jumped out of the vehicle, went a nearby house and asked for help. Barraza allegedly tried to keep her from leaving the vehicle but wasn’t able to do so.

Police located Barraza later that night and arrested him. He is being held without bond in the Dona Ana County Detention Center.