Alamogordo NM
12-02-2025 5:41am

Knife Violence and Domestic Abuse: A Growing Threat in Alamogordo

On Friday afternoon, Alamogordo Police responded to a 911 call from the 200 block of Fifth Street. When officers arrived, they found a 52‑year‑old woman suffering multiple stab wounds. The suspect, Christopher Apodaca, 32, was still on scene — and had himself called 911 to report the incident.

Investigators say Apodaca used a meat cleaver to strike the victim multiple times. She was rushed to an El Paso hospital and is now listed in stable condition. Apodaca was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Otero County Detention Center. He faces charges of Attempted 2nd Degree Murder or, alternatively, Aggravated Battery Upon a Household Member (Great Bodily Harm).

A Pattern of Stabbings in Alamogordo

This arrest comes just days after another high‑profile case:

• November 17, 2025 — Deputies discovered Lucinda Rios, 29, dead in her mobile home bathroom. Her boyfriend, Matthew Weems, 31, was arrested and charged with murder after investigators found she had been stabbed multiple times.

Earlier cases remain fresh in community memory:

• June 1, 2024 — Severe Scott Bowman, 65, was found stabbed to death in his home on 2nd Street.

• August 15, 2024 — Lyman D. Hughes, a well‑known local figure, was fatally stabbed, his case still under investigation.

Domestic Violence Connection

Police and community leaders note that many of these incidents stem from domestic or household disputes. Alamogordo’s violent crime rate remains higher than the national average, with residents facing a 1 in 244 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime Alamogord... +1, and when knives or household weapons are involved, the outcomes are often catastrophic.

Community Impact

The string of stabbings has left Alamogordo residents shaken. While police emphasize that suspects in recent cases have been arrested, the pattern of in‑home violence raises urgent questions about prevention. Advocates are calling for:

• Expanded domestic violence support services in Otero County.

• Stronger monitoring of repeat offenders.

• Community vigilance, with neighbors encouraged to report early warning signs.

As one local mental health care provider put it, “Each stabbing is not just a crime statistic — it’s a family torn apart, a community left grieving, and a reminder of the urgent need for intervention.”

Sources:

2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News – Stabbing Murders in Alamogordo: Is a Pattern Developing? 2nd Life Media 

Alamogordo Police Department Activity Logs Alamogordo, ...

CrimeGrade.org – Alamogordo Violent Crime Rates CrimeGrade.org

2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News – Suspect Matthew Weems Arrested for Murder 2nd Life Med...

News Radio KKOB – Otero County Man Arrested in Girlfriend’s Murder 96.3 KKOB

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