City of Las Cruces agrees to $20 million settlement for family of woman killed by police officer
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The City of Las Cruces just agreed to a $20 million settlement with the Estate of Teresa Gomez.
Investigators say former Las Cruces Police Officer Felipe Hernandez shot Gomez on October 3, 2023. Las Cruces released body camera footage of the fatal interaction between Hernandez and Gomez soon after. That body camera footage appears to show Hernandez stop Gomez's car and speak with her. Their interaction ended with Hernandez firing at least one shot, police say. Gomez's family filed a civil lawsuit later that month.
"After LCPD determined there was probable cause to charge Hernandez with second-degree murder, LCPD filed a criminal complaint on January 9, 2024 against Hernandez," a spokesperson for the city said Friday.
Hernandez was arrested in January 2024 on that murder charge and relieved of his duties with the police department in May 2024. Hernandez will go on trial for murder on June 2, 2025. The city says its decision to settle the civil lawsuit brought by Gomez's family in no way indicates criminal guilty by Hernandez. It adds that is considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
"This settlement should be understood as a statement of the City’s profound feeling of loss for the death of Gomez and of the City’s condolences to her family," the city's spokesperson explained.
This is the largest civil lawsuit settlement the city has ever agreed to. City Council will look at a possible ordinance to approve financing for the settlement in January 2025.
