Tera Chavez was just 26 years old when she was found dead of a gunshot wound on October 22, 2007. A former Albuquerque police officer has been acquitted of murder in the death of his wife after a trial that contained a series of salacious revelations about his extramarital affairs with. Josh Mankiewicz reports. Levi Chavez claimed he returned to their Los Lunas, New Mexico, home on Oct. 22, 2007, to find his wife's dead body in bed after taking a bullet right into the 26-year-old's mouth. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. Season 2 Episode 2 of Dateline: Unforgettable is scheduled to air on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on Oxygen, with Josh Mankiewicz reporting on the story. However, after several suspicions, connections, and autopsy reports were drawn, investigators and the victim's family accused the officer of allegedly shooting and murdering Tera Chavez in the bed of their Los Lunas home. He also told her she should have more information., I listened, Heather Chavez said about the interview. or debate this issue live on our message boards. Josh Mankiewicz reports. The Officer's Wife When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. Copyright 2022 by Fashionuer. Chavez claimed that his wife committed suicide because of his many affairs. Prosecutors allege that Levi Chavez shot Tera Chavez, 26, once in the mouth with his APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol and tried to make it look like a suicide. The Valencia County District Attorney stated Chavez violated the . 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After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like. "What did I tell you?" ", As the murder case gained more attention from the media and public, Chavez and the Albuquerque Police Department became the targets of heavy scrutiny. Freed: Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a hug from his wife Heather Chavez after being acquitted of his first wife's murder, Relief: Chavez hugs his attorney David Serna in Sandoval District Court in Bernalillo, New Mexico on Tuesday. Levi Chavez. Heather Chavezs statement in court today was that the couple only kissed in the car. While there isn't an official wife, the second of Hugo Chavez's four children, 29 year-old Maria Gabriela, plays the role of First Lady of the . The city of Albuquerque already has paid Tera's family $230,000 to settle claims against it and its police department in the civil case. Facebook Current CACU detective, and Levi's wife, Heather Chavez, was married to another officer in 2007. THE WOMEN NEVER DID MEET. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. She grew up in Los Lunas, a small village south of Alburquerque. In July 2013, after a month-long trial, the verdict from the jury came in: not guilty. Please logout and login again. The city of Albuquerque already has paid Tera's family $230,000 to settle claims against it and its police department in the civil case. . They allege the former officer killed his wife to keep her from disclosing an alleged staged theft of a truck for insurance money. 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Earlier Thursday, the fourth of Levi Chavezs many paramours to testify in the murder trial took the stand. On the morning of Oct. 22, 2007, Levi said he came home in Los Lunas and found his wife dead in bed from a gunshot to her mouth. Chavez found his estranged wife Tera dead of a gunshot wound in the living room of their home in 2007. This week I spotted my very sweet friend's husband on a dating app and what I did next will leave most of you outraged, writes JANA HOCKING, Billionaire financier Thomas H. 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You could pretty much put her through the wringer, and shed still love you like it never happened. Prosecutor Bryan McKay, who told jurors during closing arguments that Chavez used his department-issued gun to commit 'cold-blooded, calculated, planned-out murder,' declined to comment after the verdict. She loved hard. During his testimony last week, Chavez frequently broke down and had to take breaks when he recounted his ill treatment of his late wife throughout their marriage. INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated. Her twin brother described her as a strong woman and a loving mother. Levi Chavez testified during his trial that he had a series of mistresses but reiterated that he did not kill his wife. They also werent allowed to watch video of that deposition. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. Following all this, the investigating officers on this case thought that they finally found a motive; Levi killed his wife because he didnt want to get caught engaging in illegal activities and wanted to pursue other relationships without worries. Levi Chavez was charged with the murder of his wife, Tera, but he has maintained his innocence and said she committed suicide. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. The problem here was that his girlfriend couldnt remember exactly when Levi came to her place or when he left. Now her parents speak to News 13. DETAILING JUST HOW QUICKLY THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPED ONCE TERA CHAVEZ DIED. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. She said she knew Tera had died and Levi Chavez told her the couples two children were home that weekend. He. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. Through witness testimony, the public learned that Chavez had been having a number of affairs while married to Tera Chavez. Isabel Wilkerson Husband: How Many Marriages She Did? Chavez told jurors that he found his wife dead from a gunshot wound and thought it was God's way of punishing him. As soon as this grand jury indictment came out, Levi was fired from the Albuquerque Police Department, from where he had been on administrative leave for over a year. A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle, Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate, Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what. Chavez could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted on charges that he killed Tera Chavez, 26, in the couples home near Los Lunas and tried to make it look like a suicide. Shed never leave them of her own will. 'I took her for granted.'. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. Chavezs bio states that hes the emergency housing director at the Westside Emergency Housing Center. Following the not-guilty verdict, Chavez fileda federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death. But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THAT LEVI BOUGHT HER A DIAMOND RING. Levi Chavezs current wife takes the stand, Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez, WEBVTT IN DAY 14 OF THE LEVI CHAVEZ TRIAL, HIS CURRENT WIFE, A-P-D OFFICER HEATHER CHAVEZ TAKES THE STAND. He told reporters, Im not surprised at all. They married in July 2008, just a few days after Hindis divorce from another Albuquerque police officer was finalized. 'Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it.'. Levi Chavez Found 43 people in New Mexico, Arizona and 24 other states. AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Adolphe Pierre-Louis, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. I did WE ALSO LEARNED TODAY THAT UNDERNEATH THE MATTRESS ON WHICH TERA CHAVEZ WAS FOUND DEAD WAS A CALL LOG FROM LEVI'S CELL PHONE. Tera Chavez was found dead of a gunshot wound and while her death was initially ruled a suicide, her husband was eventually charged with her murder. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that hed come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. Chavez was accused of killing his hairdresser wife, Tera, with his police-issued handgun and making it look like a suicide in October 2007. pic.twitter.com/O5xOecrgtD, HeadingHomeNM (@HeadingHomeNM) June 1, 2020. Levi found Tera shot dead in their. Serna told Chavez. He has full custody of his two children, according to Tera's parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. I knew Id be acquitted. Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Chavez and family gathered to pray a Hail Mary until Serna grabbed Chavez by the arm to escort him through a crowded pathway of supporters and family members. But the prosecutors had alleged that he . Strict, but in a good way, he said. Homeowner finds gruesome animal skeleton hidden behind cupboard for 30 years - so can you guess what it is? July 31, 2015 - Former APD officer Levi Chavez has been admitted to the UNM Law School. Levi Chavez and Tera Chavez. Under often-contentious cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener that bordered on combative, Heather Chavez conceded that October 2007 wasnt the first time she had ever spoken to Levi Chavez. That wouldve been after she moved out of the home she shared with Steve Hindi, according to her testimony. After investigations revealed secrets involving an unhappy marriage, tangled love affairs, and a web of lies, it was Levi who came under the microscope for Teras alleged murder and the subsequent cover-up. View the profiles of people named Levi Chavez. 'Justice was not served,' Joseph Cordova, the father of Tera Chavez, said after listening to the verdict with his wife. Woke professor who opposes charter schools sent her sons to Manhattan's $60,000-a-year Dalton Prep: Denies hypocrisy and blames ex-husband, Defense says evidence is consistent with suicide, Cops at Albuquerque Police Department accused of tampering with evidence. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? Right. The investigation took many years, with a search warrant served at Levi Chavezs home in August 2009, by which time the case was deemed a homicide. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Levi was ultimately cleared of all charges. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. The Levi Chavez verdict came after a five-week trial and a six-year investigation that put the 32-year-old former police officer on trial for the October 2007 shooting death of his wife in their home near Los Lunas, New Mexico. I didnt do anything wrong.. I told you guys that from the beginning. Within two months of her death, he was engaged to a former colleague at the Albuquerque Police Department, Heather Hindi, and they were married a few months later, PEOPLE wrote. The Dateline NBC episode 'The Officer's Wife' investigates the 2007 death of 26-year-old Tera Chavez, wife of Albuquerque police officer Levi Chavez. Im innocent. BUT HEATHER INSISTS THE WOMEN NEVER SPOKE. That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. He immediately called the police, who, looking at the crime scene, ruled it suicide. 'I'm very embarrassed about it,' Chavez said, then later added. We always thought, Hell take care of her.'. Payton Gendron: Why Payton Gendron Got Arrested? All Rights Reserved. At first, because of how the crime scene looked, Teras death was ruled a suicide. He and his defense attorney, David Serna, maintain that Tera shot herself with Levis Glock 9 mm. Levi also asserted that when Tera apparently killed herself, he was away, spending the weekend at one of his girlfriends apartment. July 17, 2013 / 10:40 AM They allege the former officer killed his wife to keep her from disclosing an alleged staged theft of a truck for insurance money. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate one side saying the program is expected to University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what their health needs are' in order to prioritize resources. Do not sell or share my personal information. Where is he today? He has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. In his profile, it says: During the investigations into Tera Chavezs murder and during Levi Chavezs trial, one key talking point was how quickly he appeared to move on. Check arrest records, resumes and CV, photos and videos, news, social media profiles, publications, places of employment, work history and public records . No comments have so far been submitted. So where is Levi Chavez now? He pulled up the call history for the officer on his patrol computer and found it was a car assigned to Levi . Tera Chavezs parents say the entire legal process has been difficult because they want to continue to be in their grandchildrens lives but they also want Teras kids to know she didnt commit suicide. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. As week three of the Levi Chavez murder trial wound down prosecutors started playing up another possible motive for him to kill his wife Tera. The records also show that following the end of the shift at midnight, the phone was in the far Northeast Heights, near the home of a fellow APD officer with whom Chavez was having an affair. 'I don't feel like speaking for his future.'. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. He is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years. He had come to the CACU office to schedule a time to shadow Heather, according to her testimony, meaning she would show him the ropes of detective work in the unit. According to reports, an Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer Levi Chaves was suspected of shooting and murdering his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez, with his issued service gun after. Her family said they knew there was trouble in the relationship and they had heard Levi Chavez was cheating on his wife, Alibi reported. Serna will begin his cross-examination of Heather Chavez this afternoon. / CBS News. ", First published on July 17, 2013 / 10:40 AM. I told you guys that from the beginning. detailing just how quickly their relationship developed once tera chavez died. With the departure of our son, Jorge Levi Chavez, to eternity, I write that he was not a son from the womb but from the. It took two years following Chavezs arrest for the trial to move forward due to delays from civil trials, motion hearings and the trial having to move venues, according to KOAT. NBCs Dateline: The Officers Wife examines the mind-boggling case of Tera Chavezs passing, who was found shot to death on October 21, 2007, on her bed, in the home that she shared with her Albuquerque Police Department officer husband, Levi Chavez. And really, these female cops, Regina Sanchez, Heather whatever her name is, and SRO officer horrible Debra Romero have the audacity to say "I didn't know" Indeed, the records appeared to show that Levi Chavezs cellphone was in Valencia County early on Oct. 19 and that he was on Albuquerques West Side, where he was working a swing shift for APD, later that day. Facebook The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light about the case and about Levi Chavez' personal life. The exchange led to several objections from Levi Chavezs lawyer, David Serna, and eventually devolved into a full-blown shouting match between Serna and Keener. Former APD officer Levi Chavez is accused of killing his wife Tera. Levi Chavez. Be the first one to comment on this story. Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want to return to the state's largest police department. As mentioned, Levi Chavez was charged with her murder in April 2011, but it took another two years for the case to go to court due to a series of motion hearings, civil trials and a change of venue for the trial, KOAT reported. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavezs Husband Today? We raised Andrea as a family., The young couple married in 2000 even though their relationship was already facing some problems, her brothers said. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. The lawsuit against Jones was dismissed in 2018. At first, her death was believed to be a suicide, but an investigation turned up some information about Levi Chavezs life that made them look deeper into the case. 'He's got several plans in the works,' Serna said. KRQE News 13 has learned former Albuquerque Police officer Levi Chavez, who was fired after he was charged with the murder of his wife, could soon be working closely with the city as part of a non- or debate this issue live on our message boards. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying in his 911 call, PEOPLE reported. Tera Chavez had been looking for a business space to rent for her salon and had an appointment to meet a landlord just two days after the day she died, Alibi wrote. when did the romantic relationship start? Nov 21, 2007. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. ROYALE, LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER TERA CHAVEZ DIED-THEN A-P-D DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI WAS ALREADY TEXTING LEVI ABOUT HER NAME BECOMING HEATHER CHAVEZ INDICATING SHE WANTED TO MARRY HIM. BERNALILLO, N.M. The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun. News of his admittance to the university was met with some concern from alumni and other students, New Mexico PBS reported. Mmmm detective Chavez with homicide, the text read. However, as Dateline NBC explored on its episode The Officers Wife, investigators had questions about her death, especially as the gun used was Levi Chavezs department-issued firearm. According to reports, he is now the husband of APD Detective Heather. On July 5, 2008, half of the desire she expressed in the text came true. But I didnt see them, she said, adding later that she also didnt see any items that looked like they had belonged to Tera. Powered by. Tera Chavez died on 22nd October 2007 at Los Lunas, New Mexico, United States, she was 26 years old during her time of death and according to the report she died from a gunshot wound from her husband's service weapon. [1] However, the case took a shocking turn after some disturbing facts came to the surface. Serna said his client was a victim of an overly aggressive former detective and "lies" from local media outlets, although none reported Serna ever requesting for a retraction or correction from any stories since 2007. Now that so many years have gone by, lets take a look at where he currently is, shall we? Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. State District Judge George P. Eichwald instructed the two to Quit arguing back and forth like kids.. Her Albuquerque police officer husband found her and called 911. THEY WERE MARRIED JULY 2008, DAYS AFTER SHE FINALIZED HER DIVORCE WITH ANOTHER APD OFFICER. She had a twin brother, named Josh, who said, She was my lifeline. Then, on April 7, 2011, the police officer was charged with Tera Chavezs murder, arrested and fired from his job with the police department, KOAT wrote. Now that he has graduated, instead of being a practicing attorney, Levi works at a non-profit organization called Heading Home, which spearheads the campaign to eradicate homelessness in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He told reporters that he wasnt surprised at all and that throughout the whole process, he knew he would be cleared. The two met twice thereafter to have sex before Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. Published: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 2:03PM. A A. Levi Chavez, an ex-New Mexico police officer, was acquitted Tuesday in the 2007 murder of his estranged wife, but could still face a wrongful death civil lawsuit. Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. On the night of Oct. 21, 2007, the lives of one couple from Los Lunas, New Mexico were changed forever. you were talking about yourself, and you were talking about possibly marrying him bc his name was chavez, and you wanted to go to homicide. Tera, a four-year-old girl, died in August 2017 when her car seat was too full of pillows and blankets while she was strapped into it. He will face a much higher judge upon his death and he wont have a slick as ownsh*t jew loyah to bamboozle the jury. In an indictment filed in April 2011 that charges Levi Chavez with first-degree murder and evidence tampering, prosecutors say he killed Tera in the couples home near Los Lunas on Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. But Keener pointed to more phone records that showed a call from Teras phone to Heathers on Sept. 29, 2007. Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. She was quiet. Read a reflection on the importance of community partners from our WEHC Emergency Housing Director Levi Chavez. The two had gotten engaged just two months after Tera Chavezs death and prosecutors asked questions about how quickly Levi Chavez had moved on. A former cop was acquitted on Tuesday of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun after a month-long trial that has revealed secrets of affairs and alleged corruption within an Albuquerque police force. Jorge was born on August 28, 1961 in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. After gaining back his freedom, Levi Chavez decided that he wanted to change his career but still be in the justice system. August 7, 2015. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. End of November, end of November, December BUT IT WAS EVEN EARLIER THAN THAT-- JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER LEVI'S WIFE TERA DIED HINDI SENT HIM A TEXT READING "MMM DETECTIVE CHAVEZ WITH HOMICIDE." Later on, when Tera passed away, he claimed that the only reason he hadnt left his wife was because of their two children. The Harwood Museum of Art's exhibition 'Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy' explores this history through archival photographs and contemporary art. New Mexico, 2007: Tera Chavez, a police officer's wife, is found shot dead in the mouth of an apparent suicide. (AP) BERNALILLO, New Mexico - The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun.