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. 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- Check arrest records, resumes and CV, photos and videos, news, social media profiles, publications, places of employment, work history and public records . One key talking point during the investigation into Tera Chavezs death and the murder trial was how quickly Levi Chavez appeared to have moved on. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LAUREN ZAKALIK IS LIVE OUTSIDE COURT TO EXPLAIN. I knew Id be acquitted. Valencia County sheriffs initially ruled the death as a suicide due to the "close proximity of the gun to the body. 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. ", As the murder case gained more attention from the media and public, Chavez and the Albuquerque Police Department became the targets of heavy scrutiny. 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. READ NEXT: Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. 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. She was my secret-bank. The morning of October 22, 2007, he allegedly returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, New Mexico, where he discovered the body of his wife. "What did I tell you?" Japanese models have always been admired for their skills as well as their beauty. We always thought, Hell take care of her.'. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. Aug 19, 2008 . By that time, though, their marriage was already crumbling apart as Levi was having affairs with several women, many of whom he worked with on the police force. 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. pic.twitter.com/O5xOecrgtD, HeadingHomeNM (@HeadingHomeNM) June 1, 2020. According to their website, Levi holds the title of Emergency Housing Director at their Westside Emergency Housing Center. 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. Levi and Tera Chavez were high school sweethearts who married young and were raising two children together. 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. In court today, she said the calls were work related, and Keener did not press her for specifics. Chavez is a former Albuquerque Police Department officer, accused of killing his wife at their Los Lunas home in 2007. Keener pressed Heather Chavez on a statement she made during her deposition that her sexual relationship began in a car. That treatment included sexual relationships with four different women and constant breakups that began with way back when the couple were high school students. 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. 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. 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. Jones showed Heather Chavez crime scene photos from Teras death scene and told her people were worried about her. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. Levi Chavez was working at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department when he was arrested in 2011, but it wasnt until two years later, in 2013, that he stood trial for the charges against him. During the gap, Keener asked, You have no idea where the cellphone of Mr. Chavez was?. 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. 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. Alicia Castro is the former Argentine Ambassador to Venezuela and current Argentine Ambassador in the United Kingdom. Breaking News: Levi Chavez found NOT GUILTY of all charges in the death of Tera Chavez in 2007. May 1, 2008. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. 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. Later on, when Tera passed away, he claimed that the only reason he hadnt left his wife was because of their two children. She didnt leave them., When she was just 15 years old, Tera met Levi Chavez and became pregnant with his child, Alibi reported. 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. or debate this issue live on our message boards. Levi Chavez, 32, admitted to 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. Join Facebook to connect with Levi Chavez and others you may know. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. 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. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Levi Chavez was acquitted in that case, but many people are raising concerns about whether his presence in the next class of law students . 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. Nov 21, 2007. Im not guilty. Levi Chavez alleged malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, defamation, and outrageous conduct, according to court documents. 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. 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. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. 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. In July 2013, after a month-long trial, the verdict from the jury came in: not guilty. 'Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it.'. Katrina Garley testified that she met Levi Chavez when he walked into the Verizon cellphone store in Los Lunas to buy a phone in early October 2007. On the night of Oct. 21, 2007, the lives of one couple from Los Lunas, New Mexico were changed forever. Levi Chavez's current wife, Heather Chavez, took the stand Friday.She detailed the development of the pair's relationship following the death of Levi Chavez's former wife, Tera. 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. 'I'm very embarrassed about it,' Chavez said, then later added. 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. 'What did I tell you?' DETAILING JUST HOW QUICKLY THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPED ONCE TERA CHAVEZ DIED. 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. Levi Chavez came back the following week and did exactly that. Levi Chavez, 32, was accused of killing his hairdresser wife with his police-issued handgun and making it look like a suicide amid a crumbling marriage that included a love triangle at her hair . Earlier Thursday, the fourth of Levi Chavezs many paramours to testify in the murder trial took the stand. Witnesses also described a workplace where interoffice romance was rampant and said both Levi and Tera Chavez had affairs with members of the police force. Would love your thoughts, please comment. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying. Levi Chavez is a former Albuquerque, NM Police Officer who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26yearold wife, Tera Chavez. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. Play it now! Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavezs Husband Today? The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. 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. I told you guys that from the beginning. 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. 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. After a few years there, they moved back to Los Lunas, and Levi got a job as a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. 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. 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Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. Previous Post Throughout the trial, Levi Chavez steadfastly asserted his innocence and continues to do so. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light about the case and about Levi Chavez' personal life. COVID-19 has impacted how we provide prioritized street outreach, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing services to people experiencing homelessness. THEY WERE MARRIED JULY 2008, DAYS AFTER SHE FINALIZED HER DIVORCE WITH ANOTHER APD OFFICER. 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. Shed never leave them of her own will. The interview between Levi Chavez and former Valencia County Sheriff's Detective Aaron Jones was recorded shortly after deputies found Tera Chavez at the couple's home, dead from a gunshot . action 7 . 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. She attended Teras funeral, according to her testimony, as did many other APD officers. Instead, only the audio position of the recording was played in court. John Fetterman Wife: Who Is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. Published: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 2:03PM. Facebook gives people the power to. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. or debate this issue live on our message boards. 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. After being pronounced not guilty by a jury in 2013, Levi sought to become a lawyer after a couple of years of training and was admitted into the University of New Mexico Law School, where he reportedly concentrated on criminal law. Levi Chavez. 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. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. 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. Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want return to the state's largest police department. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. We raised Andrea as a family., The young couple married in 2000 even though their relationship was already facing some problems, her brothers said. INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious. Levi was ultimately cleared of all charges. In December 2013, it was made public that Chavez had relinquished his police officer certification. 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. Although the case initially looked like a suicide, investigators dug up evidence and theories that proved otherwise. 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. [3], The night prior to the death of his wife Tera, Levi had spent the night at his girlfriend's house. This type of work affords great meaning to his life, as he and his team provide emergency housing to hundreds of our communitys most vulnerable individuals each night. The Officer's Wife Dateline NBC True Crime Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher 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. His new wife, Heather Hindi, who was one of his fellow officers, also testified on the stand. He is suing the detective who first launched the investigation into the 2007 death of Levi's wife, Tera Chavez. Jones was one of the first officers on the scene and a lead detective on the case. The trial for a man accused of killing his wife while he was an Albuquerque cop and then trying to cover it up started Monday. M.E. Right. Guitarist Ottmar Liebert bringing his unique blend of music Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra will perform with the New Mexico Philharmonic at Popejoy Hall on Saturday, March 11. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. 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. THE DEFENSE REVEALED TERA CALLED AT LEAST EIGHT NUMBERS ON THAT LIST-- INCLUDING HEATHER IN SEPTEMBER 2007. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez . "There never was a case against Levi Chavez," Serna said. Levi Chavez has maintained that his wife's death was an act of suicide. Heather Chavez said she hadnt remembered those calls when she gave a deposition in a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by Teras family against Levi. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Dateline: Unforgettable's upcoming episode, in a re-broadcast, will cover the story of Tera Chavez's tragic death while also narrating the heated and controversial trial of her cop husband, Levi Chavez. 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. 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. In all likelihood, Chavezs cellphone was turned off between 12:27 a.m. and 3:32 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007, said Jody Citizen, a senior analyst for the Verizon Wireless companys legal department. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. LIVE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY LZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS.. COUNT ON KOAT-DOT-COM FOR. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez Recommended Stories CinemaBlend Viral TikTok Shows Off Moment JLo's Face Filter Fails And Some Of Her Wrinkles Are Exposed Jennifer Lopez. "He's got several plans in the works," Serna said. WE ALSO LEARNED FRIDAY THAT HEATHER-WENT TO TERA CHAVEZ'S FUNERAL. Jones also told her that Levi Chavez had numerous affairs while he was married to Tera, but according to Keeners characterization of Heather Chavezs previous statements, she wasnt interested. I told you guys that from the beginning. They also said hed had other affairs, including with some of the neighbors and other Albuquerque police officers. 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. Thats when she married Levi Chavez and took his last name, according to testimony she gave this morning at the end of the third week in her husbands murder trial. 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. Her husband, Albuquerque Police Department officer Levi Chavez, was the one who discovered her body and called 911, claiming that it looked like his wife had shot herself with his department-issued weapon. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light . 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. state calls heather chavez : IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE PROSECUTION TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THE PERSONAL DETAILS OF APD DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI'S BLOSSOMING RELATIONSHIP WITH RECENT WIDOWER LEVI CHAVEZ IN 2007.' He was acquitted of her murder on Tuesday, The less-than-perfect crime: Tera Chavez was killed when her husband allegedly shot her in the mouth and tried to make it look like a suicide. Chavez called 911 to report the alleged suicide around 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. Former APD officer Levi Chavez is accused of killing his wife Tera. Be the first one to comment on this story. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. At first, because of how the crime scene looked, Teras death was ruled a suicide. 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." She loved hard. But Keener pointed to more phone records that showed a call from Teras phone to Heathers on Sept. 29, 2007. 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. Mmmm detective Chavez with homicide, the text read. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. But on direct examination by Bryan McKay, senior trial attorney for the 13th Judicial District Attorneys Office, Garley testified that she also went to the home the Chavezes had shared at 11 Ash Place on the weekend of Nov. 11 and 12, 2007. You could pretty much put her through the wringer, and shed still love you like it never happened. I didnt answer the call, Heather Chavez said. Thats the past, Heather Chavez said in court today. Some extra notes, quotes, news and notes from the Lobos Friday night basketball game in Fort Collins, Colorado. Although her parents said they were shocked at the news, they turned it around to a positive. The teenager and her baby continued to live at the Cordova family home for two years, her mother Theresa Cordova said. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. I didnt speak with her.. BERNALILLO Its impossible to say based on cellphone records where Levi Chavez was for 15 hours near the end of the three-day period during which prosecutors say he killed his wife in 2007, according to a cellphone company analyst who testified Thursday in the former APD officers murder trial. Facebook 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. The two had gotten engaged just two months after Tera Chavezs death and prosecutors asked questions about how quickly Levi Chavez had moved on. Theyve long been appreciated for their Sign up for our daily newsletter and get the best of fashionuer in your in-box. The Valencia County District Attorney stated Chavez violated the . Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. Chavez found his estranged wife Tera dead of a gunshot wound in the living room of their home in 2007. Heavy reached out to UNM for additional information about Chavezs admission status; however, we did not receive a response by press time. 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. A Comprehensive Review of Edubirdies Academic Writing Service. However, nearly four years after Tera took her last breath, Levi was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. He told the operator she killed herself and that he hadnt said anything because He thought she needed time.. 'There never was a case against Levi Chavez,'Serna said. But, in the end, after two days of deliberation, because of a lack of physical evidence linking him to Teras death, or something that even concretely proved that it was a homicide, Levi, who was facing life in prison, was acquitted of all charges. Chavez alleged malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, defamation, and outrageous conduct, court documents show. He told reporters, Im not surprised at all. 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. He was accused of murdering his wife by the victim's family and one of the detectives working the case and was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 2013 after being found not guilty by a jury. All Rights Reserved. INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated. Copyright 2022 by Fashionuer. The problem here was that his girlfriend couldnt remember exactly when Levi came to her place or when he left. 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. News of his admittance to the university was met with some concern from alumni and other students, New Mexico PBS reported. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten.