Las Cruces man arrested at assisted living facility, charged with sex crimes

UPDATE: ABC-7 learned that on Sunday morning, a healthcare provider at Blue Horizon Assisted Living got concerned, after noticing that the 61-year-old victim had not left her room to have breakfast.

Court records show that the provider went to the victim's room to check on her, and found her lying in bed without any clothes on. She was next to Jennings, who was also unclothed.

A criminal complaint shows the provider alerted other staff, and police were called.

According to the complaint, an examination revealed that the victim had been sexually assaulted.

ABC-7 also learned that Jennings is the brother in law of the victim.

According to the criminal complaint, he was in a position to know that she's had a mental handicap since she was a child, that rendered her unable to give consent.

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Jail records show that Las Cruces Police Department officers arrested 70-year-old Larry Dale Jennings on October 22, 2023. Records also show that officers arrested Jennings at 2707 Spitz Avenue, listed as Blue Horizon Assisted Living.

According to court documents, Jennings is the brother-in-law of the victim, a woman who has lived in a "diminished mental state" since childhood. Staff at the facility found the pair naked in bed, court documents state. Investigators believe staff acted accordingly when they discovered the abuse.

Jennings made his first court appearance on October 23. Records show that he was given a release on recognizance bond. He is charged with three counts of criminal sexual contact causing injury and one count of criminal sexual penetration.

Officers arrested Jennings around 8:15 Sunday morning and booked him into the Dona Ana County Detention Center later that afternoon. As of October 26, jail records show that Jennings remains in custody.

To report or learn more about preventing abuse, visit the Adult Protective Services website.