Three major violent crimes in one day spark rising crime concerns for Las Cruces residents

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Two double homicides and one shooting happened Sunday in Las Cruces. Although one of the double homicides was a domestic crime, residents told ABC-7 they are concerned about crime rising across the city.

"I've lived here my whole life. I've lived here for 30 years. And I can't recall it ever being this bad," said William Nevarez, who lives down the street from a man who allegedly murdered his father and brother Sunday.

Investigators believe Luis G. Noyola, 46, used a hammer to kill his father and brother, then tried to clean the crime scene.

Las Cruces Police said Noyola's sister called police around 11 a.m. Police said when officers arrived at the scene on the 1100 block of Wofford Drive, they found two men dead.

Officials said officers detained Noyola, who acknowledged his involvement in the deaths. Noyola was arrested Sunday.

"It's just sad to know that something happened to that caliber. And it does affect the community, the neighborhood. You don't want something bad for your neighbors," said Michelle Shugars, Noyola's neighbor. "And it was kind of hard to wake up this morning or go through yesterday, just walking in and out of crime scene tape to go home, or to see your neighbor's family and their loved ones being affected."

Residents in the area where a deadly shooting happened the same day were just as shaken.

ABC-7 spoke to one woman who lives near Avenida del Sol and Cortez, the scene of the other double-homicide. She did not want to be identified, but she said gunshots woke her up around 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police said around that time, two siblings in their 20s were shot inside a vehicle. The brother died on the scene, and the sister was taken to a hospital, where she died.

Police also said a 15-year-old girl in the backseat was hit by shrapnel. They said her injuries were relatively minor.

Authorities are still looking for any suspects involved in the shooting.

The woman said she has never seen anything like the shooting happen in her neighborhood, but she is "very concerned," because she has heard of a lot more crime happening recently in Las Cruces. She's also afraid, because no one has been arrested for the shooting in her neighborhood yet.

The third major crime that happened Sunday was a shooting around 3:30 p.m. at an apartment on the 1400 block of South Telshor Boulevard.

Police are looking for 30-year-old Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez, who they believe is responsible for the shooting.

An unidentified 36-year-old man was critically injured in the shooting. Police said he is still recovering in the hospital.

"Police can't do anything about the crime until after it happens," said Nevarez. "So I think it's really important to talk to your neighbors, and keep in touch with your neighbors, and establish your own, kind of, community watch of sorts, to make sure that you're looking out for each other."