Watch: Las Cruces mass shooting suspect Tomas Rivas appears in court
Update: Rivas appeared before Magistrate Judge Bryan Gelecki shortly after 12:45 p.m. via video call from the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
He was represented by Public Defender Michael Reyes.
The appearance lasted only five minutes, and Rivas's case was moved to the District Court, which means Dona Ana County District Attorney Fernando Macias will prosecute the case moving forward.
All four suspects in the case face 3 counts of first-degree murder in connection to the shooting.
Macias said the prosecution plans to add conspiracy to commit murder to the charges. The three juveniles will also be prosecuted as adults.
"In order to be able to address this epidemic of firearms use by juveniles, we have to be the most serious that we possibly can in order to impose the most significant sanctions if these individuals are found guilty of having committed these crimes," he said.
Macias hopes to move the cases forward as quickly as possible, and that the trials could be complete within a year.
"Justice has to be thorough, but it has to be swift," he added. "It's our intent to pursue matters as quickly as possible."
Macias was formerly a District Judge, an experience he believes will help him navigate the process of the trials to come.
As police continue to review evidence, the injuries of other victims could play into the trial later on.
"There could be other charges that are added on depending on the outcome of the injuries that other victims suffered," Macias said.
"Justice will be coming," he added. "We will be working to ensure that there are consequences because of the damage that was done."
Watch the hearing below:
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) – 20-year-old Tomas Rivas, one of the four suspects arrested in connection to Friday night’s mass shooting in Las Cruces, will appear in Dona Ana County Magistrate court today, according to online jail records.
Dona Ana County records show Rivas was arrested in Las Cruces at 2:50 a.m. Sunday and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center at 3:21 a.m.
Stay tuned to ABC-7 for complete coverage of today's hearing on air and online.
