Jonathan Stewart Found Guilty of Murder of Jonathan Garnand and Devone Blake - Cold Case

Alamogordo, NM – In a significant breakthrough for a decade-old investigation, an Otero County jury has found Jonathan Stewart, 31, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two men in Alamogordo, according to a press release from the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The verdict came on February 24, 2026, after a six-day trial, as announced by District Attorney Ryan Suggs on February 27. The case stems from a November 2, 2014, incident where Alamogordo Police Department officers responded to reports of a suspicious stationary vehicle in the 1000 block of Hendrix Avenue. Inside, they discovered Jonathan Garnand and Devone Blake, both suffering from gunshot wounds and pleading for help.

Both victims were initially rushed to Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries before being airlifted to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. Garnand was pronounced dead on November 4, 2014, and Blake succumbed to his injuries on November 10, 2014.

The case went cold for years, with periodic reviews yielding no solid leads. However, in March 2020, the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Unit, alongside the Alamogordo Police Department, reopened the investigation. Key evidence emerged linking Stewart and co-defendant Angel Armendariz to the victims before and during the shooting.

Investigators recovered cellular phone and GPS data from Stewart’s Gmail account, associated with a phone that was never found. Advanced FBI technology, unavailable in 2014, allowed for detailed mapping of the phone’s location, providing crucial insights. While the murder weapons were never recovered, two distinct types of shell casings were found in the vehicle’s rear.

Stewart and Armendariz were arrested in Texas on January 5, 2022—Stewart in McKinney County and Armendariz in Milam County. Both faced multiple murder charges.

Armendariz, the co-defendant, was tried separately in October 2023 and convicted of two counts of felony murder. That conviction was upheld by the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Stewart’s sentencing is pending before the Honorable Angie K. Schneider, and he remains detained at the Otero County Detention Center.

The prosecution was handled by Special Prosecutors Scot D. Key and RoxeAnne Esquibel. The investigation involved a multi-agency effort, including the 12th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, the Attorney General’s Office, Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, McKinney Police Department, Texas Rangers, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, College Station Police Department, El Paso Police Department, Milam County Sheriff’s Office, Altus Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This conviction marks a rare success in resolving long-dormant cases, highlighting advancements in forensic technology and persistent law enforcement collaboration.

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