Mother’s murder conviction overturned
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The New Mexico Supreme Court reversed Cristal Cardenas' conviction for her alleged role in the 2018 murder-for-hire plot of her ex-boyfriend. The Court concluded that Cardenas did not receive a fair trial because the prosecution questioned her about her six-month-old daughter's positive meth test. Cardenas had recently appealed her conviction, arguing the prosecution's question was inadmissible and unduly prejudicial. The Court wrote that the State's evidence was otherwise circumstantial.
“We conclude there is a reasonable probability that the error affected the jury’s verdict,” the Court explained.
A jury convicted Cardenas in 2022 and she received a sentence of life in prison in connection with the murder of ex-boyfriend Mario Cabral, as well as 24 additional years for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and criminal solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
Cardenas' boyfriend at the time, Luis Flores, pleaded guilty to conspiracy resulting in a death, according to court officials.
The Court has ordered the case back to the Third Judicial District Court for a new trial on the same charges.
