7-21-2023 11:19am

Accused Alamogordo Murder Suspect Dominic De La O Has A History of Legal Entanglements

Chris Edwards Editor

Accused Alamogordo Murder Suspect Dominic De La O Has A History of Legal Entanglements.

The man accused of killing decorated Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson on Saturday July 15th, 2023 has a history of multiple encounters with the legal system and the police. There appears to be an escalating series of events that culminated with the events of July 15th.

Weapons and Fleeing

Through public records requests and via confidential conversations with law enforcement officers AlamogordoTownNews.com and KALHRadio.org discovered that the encounter with law enforcement on July 15th, 2023, was one of many incidents, Dominic De La O had with Alamogordo police officers. He had been questioned in connection with other investigations, and been suspected of being in possession of weapons and fleeing before.

2019 Incident

In review court documents, police documents and in conversations with law enforcement; Mr De Le O gained interest of local authorities during the investigation into the death of Donovan Contreras in 2019.

Mr. Donovan Contreras died from a gunshot wound to the head on July 12, 2019 while awaiting a trail around drug possession. After graduating from Academy Del Sol High School in 2013, Donovan moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he completed a certification as a security officer. His passions included playing basketball, listening to a variety of music and hanging out with family and friends. He was remembered as being very religious. Alamogordo residents, Jessica Smith and Rudy Contreras, have alleged that Dominic De La O was involved in the death of Donovan Contreras.

Dominic De L O was never charged in connection with the death.

Events around the death of Contreras are complicated and have been engaged in lawsuits by the Contreras family against the city of Alamogordo.

In a filed lawsuit 21-CV-1084 MV/SMV court documents show that The Office of the Medical Investigator and Defendant's (Alamogordo) employee Raymond Brown ruled the death a suicide.

However, Plaintiffs (the Contreras family) contend that it was a homicide and allege some type of cover-up. Based on these allegations, the Contreras family asserted 16 claims against Chavez and 14 claims against Brown arising under both state and federal constitutions. The case was dismissed due to timing.

Confidential sources claim De Le O was a “person of interest” in relation drug investigations and investigations around Contreras;but he was never charged for issues around this incident.

The Contreras family contends De Le O should remain locked up.

2022 De Le O Flees

January 24, 2022, police alleged in an affidavit that De La O fled from them in a black SUV following an attempted traffic stop. The Alamogordo Police Department said, in court documents, that De La O had a suspended driver's license at the time of the stop.

APD chased De La O through Highway 54/70 before he drove onto First Street, where APD documents said he was going up to 35 miles per hour. At First Street and White Sands Blvd, De La O was reported to have stopped at a red light for only a moment before continuing to flee. The arresting officer then witnessed De La O turn left on First Street and Florida Avenue, where he then turned east on Ninth Street. The arresting officer lost sight of De La O after he abandoned the SUV in an attempt to run on foot, according to a police incident report.

A detective found the ditched SUV in an alleyway at alleyway in Alamogordo. A search continued and later police found De La O at 18th Street and Park Crescent City, where they arrested him.

De La O was charged with aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, a fourth-degree felony. He was also charged with petty misdemeanors, driving while under the influence of drugs (DWI), driving while license suspended and disorderly conduct.

According to court documents, De La O admitted to the arresting officer that he was on the substance Clonazepam and knew he was not supposed to be behind the wheel under the influence.

Clonazepam is a sedative that treats seizures, panic disorders, and anxiety. It can also impair memory and coordination. This case is still pending resolution.

January 2023 Incident & Shooting

On January 29, 2023 Dominic De La O yet again fled from the Alamogordo Police Department.

When New Mexico State Police Officer Eric Marrujo arrived at the car wash on 10th Street, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, he spoke to Alamogordo Police Lieutenant Chris Hughes about what happened according to Court Documents.

Marrujo said in those court documents that he learned Dominic De la O was in the area of 1003 Ridgecrest from Hughes.

The 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office Major Crimes Unit had alerted residents in the area and advised them to call if De La O was seen in the area.

When Rincon arrived at the location and found De La O, a foot chase began leading to the A'RM Car wash on 10th street. APD Officer Robert Brown arrived on the scene shortly after and a "scuffle" broke out between all three men while both APD officers attempted to arrest De La O.

Court documents said during the fight, De La O pulled a gun out and APD Officer Robert Brown then pulled his weapon, firing and injuring De La O in the leg.

After De La O was arrested, the 12th Judicial District Court conducted a search at A'RM car wash, where a pair of De La O's jeans were left behind. Marrujo said he then searched the pockets and found a bag with a "crystalline substance,” later identified as crystal meth.

An amended criminal complaint read that Marrujo reviewed surveillance footage from the A'RM Car Wash. Marrujo said in the footage De La O can be seen running with a gun before he runs in front of Brown's police vehicle and falls to the ground, aiming a gun at his head and allegedly told officers he was going to shoot himself.

Brown attempted to fire his taser at De La O but was unsuccessful, according to the incident report. Brown and Rincon then struggled to disarm De La O. During that interaction, an officer shot and wounded De La O.

And now the Ferguson incident on July 15, 2023, again De La O fled a traffic stop, he crashed his vehicle and allegedly used a sawed off shot gun resulting in the death of Officer Ferguson.

In May, prosecutors fought to keep him locked up until trial, arguing that he was a flight risk. At that time, the judge released him. De La O didn’t get out right away since he was still being detained for violating his conditions of release in a different case. However, to the objection of prosecutors, a judge let him out to seek mental health treatment in June.

Prosecutors filed another motion to review De La O’s release for the January police shooting last week, saying he failed to check into pretrial services. That came just three days before state police reported De La O shot Officer Ferguson.

A judge granted a motion to consolidate De La O's prior two cases. District Attorney Scott Key will Be filing charges before the grand jury next week.