Serving Eastern New Mexico and West Texas
CNJ staff photo: Sharna Johnson Brandon Barela reads a PowerPoint slide of comments an eyewitness said he made while he was beating Ron Hittson to death in April. Barela faces life plus 33 years for the murder. By Sharna Johnson Brandon Barela’s facial expression didn’t change as the guilty verdict was read Thursday afternoon. After […]
CNJ staff photo: Sharna Johnson Seated in front of a photograph of the victim Ron Hittson, Brandon Barela and deffense attorneys Chandler Blair and Brett Carter listen as prosecutor Camille Chavez gives opening arguments to a Curry County jury Tuesday morning. By Sharna Johnson: CNJ Staff Writer Opening arguments in the first-degree murder trial of […]
By Sharna Johnson: CNJ staff writer A witness described seeing his coworker beat a 51-year-old Tucumcari truck driver to death with a rock in the early morning hours Thursday after the two had an argument. Brandon Barela, 24, is being held at the Curry County Adult Detention Center on a $500,000 bond on an open […]
Freedom New Mexico: Liliana Castillo A 51-year-old Tucumcari truck driver and the man suspected of beating him to death and leaving his body in a ditch were drinking together at Webb’s Watering Hole and later Clovis City Limits, District Attorney Matt Chandler said. By Sharna Johnson: CNJ staff writer Police believe an argument after a […]
