On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want return to the state's largest police department. 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. She liked to draw, and she liked to write poetry, she recalled. Hindi, along with other women Levi Chavez had been involved with, testified during the trial about their affairs, Star Tribune reported. It appears that Chavez is now working for a non-profit organization called Heading Home that gives emergency housing and permanent housing support to people who are homeless in New Mexico, according to their website. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavezs Husband Today? Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. The two exchanged seven telephone calls on May 12 of that year, according to cellphone records that investigators found under a mattress Tera Chavezs body was lying on. Some of the affairs were with female APD officers.[4]. Joseph Cordova, Teras father, told the outlet, The culture which we grew up in, his family was from law enforcement. 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. Levi Chavez - Wikiwand Her relationship with Chavez started when he was still married to Marisabel. 'I took her for granted.'. In July 2013, after a month-long trial, the verdict from the jury came in: not guilty. "Dateline NBC" The Officer's Wife (TV Episode 2013) - IMDb State District Judge George Eichwald ruled that one nude photograph would be available only to the jury that it wouldnt be shown in open court and that the lawyers could ask questions of witnesses about the videos without getting into the details.. INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated. He immediately called the police, who, looking at the crime scene, ruled it suicide. Following a couple of years of preparation, he applied to be a lawyer and was accepted into the University of New Mexico Law School, entering class of 2016, where he apparently specialized in criminal law. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. 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. Ex-N.M. police officer acquitted of murder of wife - CBS News 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. Upon returning home in mid-November not even a month after Tera's murder, that officer saw a car parked around the corner from his house. But Keener pointed to more phone records that showed a call from Teras phone to Heathers on Sept. 29, 2007. But on that night in October, Levi, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, called 911 to report that he'd found his wife dead in their home. 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. The official synopsis of the episode says. A month after Tera Chavezs death, her husband was placed on leave at the Albuquerque Police Department as the investigation into her death continued, KOAT reported. Isabel Wilkerson Husband: How Many Marriages She Did? Not among them was APD officer Steve Hindi, to whom Heather was married at the time. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Plunged into the limelight: Camilla 'wants her five teenage grandchildren to take centre stage at Charles's coronation alongside the King's Royal heirs - performing a role previously given to Duchesses as the new Queen is anointed with holy oil', Newspaper comic strip Dilbert gets canceled after its creator is branded racist for warning white people to 'get the f**k away' from black people - before doubling down on his beliefs. (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. Her mother said she wants the kids to know, Shed never leave them. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Serna on Thursday spent two and a half hours cross-examining Citizen. It was hailed as a new era when designers finally recognised 'real women' but they have once again been sidelined by stick-thin models, Taking the Mickey! Tera Chavez moved to Virginia to be with her husband after graduating, as hed been posted there with the Coast Guard and the young woman was soon pregnant again with their second child, Alibi reported. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. She loved strong., READ NEXT: Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says, Tera Chavezs Death: Levi Chavez Was Charged With Murdering His Wife, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. A few years later, the family of four moved back to New Mexico, where Levi Chavez became a police officer with the Alburquerque Police Department and Tera Chavez started going to barber college. 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. He and his defense attorney, David Serna, maintain that Tera shot herself with Levis Glock 9 mm. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But the disgraced former. Chavez found his estranged wife Tera dead of a gunshot wound in the living room of their home in 2007. "This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. Im innocent. She was an indoor girl, kind of girly. 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. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. Chavez of course denies the incident. Levi had spent the night at his current girlfriend's house. The entire world around Levi Chavez came trembling down when one fine October morning in 2007, he returned to his New Mexico home to find his wife Tera Chavez dead after taking a bullet to the mouth. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Dateline Unforgettable Does Tera Chavez Case: What To Know | Crime News action 7 . 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. Levi Chavez and Tera Chavez. Heavy reached out to UNM for additional information about Chavezs admission status; however, we did not receive a response by press time. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Valencia County sheriffs initially ruled the death as a suicide due to the "close proximity of the gun to the body. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head, a text message popped up on his cellphone suggesting that a new marriage wasnt far off. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. He told reporters, Im not surprised at all. Former police officer acquitted of wife's murder | Local News Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. One day, [the kids] are going to be of age, and theyre going to want to know, her father told Alibi. Aug 19, 2008 . 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. What happened to Tera Chavez? Dateline Unforgettable to revisit cop's "I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary," Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. Breaking News: Levi Chavez found NOT GUILTY of all charges in the death of Tera Chavez in 2007. The upcoming episode of Dateline Unforgettable will premiere at 8.00 pm ET on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Levi Chavez | Heading Home It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. Levi Chavez alleged malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, defamation, and outrageous conduct, according to court documents. Levi Chavez eventually filed a federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, who was a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death and was one of the first on the scene. Dateline: Levi Chavez Becoming Lawyer After Wife Tera Chavez Death After Garleys testimony, Serna and Keener argued for more than 45 minutes outside the presence of the jury about which of the cellphone data examined by an FBI analyst should be shown to the jury. 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. 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. Hindi said on the stand that shed never met Tera Chavez, but she went to her funeral and helped move her things out of the family home after her death, footage from the trial shows. Tera Chavez Death: Why Parents Believe Death Was Not A Suicide | Crime News Three weeks after Teras death, Levi Chavez was having sex with another woman in the home near Los Lunas from which authorities had removed Tera Chavezs body, according to the mistresss testimony. Levi said. 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. THEY WERE MARRIED JULY 2008, DAYS AFTER SHE FINALIZED HER DIVORCE WITH ANOTHER APD OFFICER. 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. Levi Chavez's current wife testifies - Albuquerque Journal He finally went on trial for the allegations brought against him in 2013, a full two years after the charges were first brought. Chavez discovered his wife dead, with a gunshot wound to the mouth upon returning home on October 22, 2007. "Justice was not served," Joseph Cordova, the father of Tera Chavez, said after listening to the verdict with his wife. NM Ex-police officer acquitted of wife's murder 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. The call did not go to voicemail. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LAUREN ZAKALIK IS LIVE OUTSIDE COURT TO EXPLAIN. All Rights Reserved. His profile states: Mr. Levi Chavez was born and raised in New Mexico and has a military and law enforcement background. July 17, 2013 / 10:40 AM Levi Chavez. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. Her twin brother described her as a strong woman and a loving mother. Her husband Levi Chavez, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, was the one who called 911 and told them shed committed suicide. Strict, but in a good way, he said. Chavez was eventually charged with first-degree murder and obstructing justice, responding to which he entered a not guilty plea and, to date, asserts his innocence. The Harwood Museum of Art's exhibition 'Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy' explores this history through archival photographs and contemporary art. 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. He has full custody of his two children, according to Tera's parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. Levi Chavez was charged with the murder of his wife, Tera, but he has maintained his innocence and said she committed suicide. She was quiet. pic.twitter.com/O5xOecrgtD, HeadingHomeNM (@HeadingHomeNM) June 1, 2020. 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. Following the verdict, emotional family members of Tera Chavez were quickly escorted out of Sandoval District Court, the result of an edict from state District Judge George Eichwald who sought to ease tensions between the two families. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. 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. 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. She grew up in Los Lunas, a small village south of Alburquerque. Theyve long been appreciated for their Sign up for our daily newsletter and get the best of fashionuer in your in-box. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. Heavy reached out to the university for more information about his admittance but did not immediately hear back. webvtt in day 14 of the levi chavez trial, his current wife, a-p-d officer heather chavez takes the stand. Nov 21, 2007. After gaining back his freedom, Levi Chavez decided that he wanted to change his career but still be in the justice system. / CBS News. His ex-wife, Kellie May Xiong Chauvin, who was crowned Mrs. Minnesota in 2019, legally separated from Chauvin on May 28, 2020 - just three days after a viral bystander video showed her husband . Another girlfriend testifies in Chavez trial - Albuquerque Journal Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. Chavez was placed on leave at the police department where he worked and eventually, on April 7, 2011, he was arrested and charged with his wifes murder, KOAT reported. Chavezs bio states that hes the emergency housing director at the Westside Emergency Housing Center. Obituary | Levi Chavez | Rogers Mortuary Inc. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. They werent told that tens of instances in which Levi Chavezs attorneys asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had been excised from the deposition. Heather Chavezs statement in court today was that the couple only kissed in the car. I told you guys that from the beginning. 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. The case made national news when Officer Chavez's sexual history became known, including affairs with fellow police officers, and that he spent the night before his wife was killed with his current girlfriend. LIVE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY LZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS.. COUNT ON KOAT-DOT-COM FOR. Levi Chavez Was Charged With His Wife's Murder Years Later & His New Wife & Mistresses Testified As mentioned, Levi Chavez was charged with her murder in April 2011, but it took another. Homeowner finds gruesome animal skeleton hidden behind cupboard for 30 years - so can you guess what it is? According to reports, he is now the husband of APD Detective Heather. 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. KOB 4 - BREAKING: Former APD officer Levi Chavez back in - Facebook Chavez was acquitted of the first-degree murder charge and told reporters outside the courtroom, Im not surprised at all. Levi Chavez acquitted of wife's murder in New Mexico We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Join Facebook to connect with Levi Chavez and others you may know. 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. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. I knew Id be acquitted. 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. 'This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out.'. rules the death self-inflicted The medical examiner ruled Tera's death a suicide. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying in his 911 call, PEOPLE reported. 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 Verdict In New Mexico 'Casanova Cop' Case Delivered It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. Her family said they knew there was trouble in the relationship and they had heard Levi Chavez was cheating on his wife, Alibi reported. Cinemaholic reports that Chavez was accepted at the University of New Mexico Law School and began studying for his degree in 2016, where he specialized in criminal law. Previous Post On Jan. 15, 2008, Heather Chavez gave an interview to then-Detective Aaron Jones, who was investigating Teras death for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. Also in court this morning, jurors heard a heavily redacted recording of the deposition Levi Chavez gave in the civil case. Much of the trial centered on allegations that Albuquerque police officers who responded to the Chavez home in nearby Los Lunas removed and even flushed key evidence down a toilet. 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 investigators reportedly presumed that he attempted to cover up the crime as a suicide. Serna will begin his cross-examination of Heather Chavez this afternoon. 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. 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.