The man believed to be responsible for Tuesday’s shooting near the intersection of west Picacho Avenue and north Seventeenth Street has been arrested and charged with an open count of murder.
Pancho Garcia, 35, was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center. He is initially being held without bond.
The victim in Tuesday’s shooting is identified as 29-year-old Juan Javier Lujan Garces.
Shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Las Cruces police and fire were dispatched to reports of shots fired at the intersection of Picacho and Seventeenth Street. First responders arrived to find a Lujan Garces in his vehicle with at least one gunshot wound. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but Lujan Garces was pronounced deceased at the scene.
After the shooting, Pancho Garcia barricaded himself in a first-floor room of a motel on the 1700 block of west Picacho Avenue.
Las Cruces police set up a perimeter and activated its SWAT and hostage negotiation teams. Residents who live within close proximity to the suspect’s room were asked to evacuate and others, who resided further away, were encouraged to shelter in place.
SWAT and HNT members made multiple attempts to contact Garcia.
About 11:30 a.m., SWAT team members breached a window of the suspect’s room. Shortly thereafter, Garcia exited the room and was taken into custody. No shots were fired by police and no other injuries were reported.
A portion of west Picacho Avenue was temporarily closed to traffic during the investigation. Picacho Avenue has since been cleared and is open to traffic.
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