Las Cruces man convicted after he beheaded the victim, playing football with his head

Las Cruces, Nm (KFOX14/CBS4) – A Las Cruces man was found guilty of murder in a case where the police said he had beheaded a man and played football with his head cut.

According to Dona Ana district lawyer, Fernando Macias, Wednesday, Joel Arciniega-Saenz was found guilty of the 1st degree, after stabbing James Garcia, 51 years old.

The incident happened at Apodaca Park on June 20, 2021 and was a long legal process, because the mental competence of Arciniega-Saenz to be processed was challenged.

“Despite the long challenges, we have remained steadfast in search of our justice for the affected,” Macias said. “We expand our condolences to James Garcia’s family and loved ones and reaffirm our commitment to respond to violent offenders and to ensure the safety of this community.”

Spencer Walsson, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of District, who played a key role in pursuing the case, called on Wednesday, “a wonderful day for justice”, adding: “Our office remains employed to work diligently to make our streets safer, a case at some point.”

Deputy chief lawyer of the district, Melissa Garcia, praised the efforts of law enforcement to bring the case to a successful conclusion.

“Although our office followed the pursuit of this case, the true heroes are the officers of the Las Cruces police department. This was a horrible case with which they investigated and blocked from the beginning. We appreciate and appreciate their dedication,” Garcia said. “We are grateful to the officers for their hard work and we are glad that we could provide justice and make our community safer.”

Related:Las Cruces suspect accused of beheading the victim charged by the great jury

On the day of the crime, the police were called in the park after the reports of a corpse on the road.

According to the police documents, when the officers arrived, they found out that Garcia was beheaded and stabbed several times and found Arciniega-Saenz with dry blood on his hands and a bloody knife along his part.

While the police investigators examined the crime site, they also found Garcia’s middle finger.

Police investigators found a footwear print near a blood pool in the park, where the victim’s finger was found, the court said.

During the interrogation at the Las Cruces Police Department, Arciniega-Saenz told investigators that he was homeless and slept in Apodaca Park.

Arciniega-Saenz would have told investigators that Garcia raped his wife four years ago, but refused to identify his “wife”.

He then described to the police investigators who led to the killing.

Arciniega-Saenz said that he, his wife and Garcia stayed four days before the murder.

The court of the court states that Arciniega-Saenz told the police that three had fallen asleep.

He said when he and his wife woke up, Garcia was gone with their goods.

Arciniega-Saenz said that he followed Garcia to Apodaca Park to face him.

During the confrontation, Arciniega-Saenz took a knife from Garcia and stabbed several times and cut off the head.

Then he told investigators that he had dragged Garcia’s body on the street and played football with Garcia’s head.

Arciniega-Saenz is owned at the detention center of Dona Ana County, on the charge of murder.

Related:Las Cruces Crime Suspect confesses for terrible killing