Santa Fe police arrest, charge man in Friday homicide
A Santa Fe man is facing a murder charge after police said they heard gunshots from a residence and found a gunshot victim inside who ended up dying from his injuries.
'It has been reported that they were brothers, and we're still trying to confirm that because of the last names,' Santa Fe police Lt. Jimmie Montoya said in an interview Saturday. Montoya said he believes the men to be half-brothers.
According to Montoya and a news release Santa Fe police sent out Saturday, officers heard the shots in the area of Montano Street at around 4:30 p.m. Friday while performing a domestic violence notification nearby, a customary notification for a victim for when someone arrested on domestic violence charges is set to be released.
Police located the residence from which the gunshots came — and a man who 'immediately ran inside the residence, disobeying commands from officers to stop,' according to the release.
After a short time, officers convinced the man to exit 'without further incident,' the release says. Police said they detained Leonel Alejandro Munoz Castro, 41, and found Aaron Mitchell, 33, outside the property with at least one gunshot wound to his chest.
Despite attempts from Santa Fe Fire Department medics to perform 'life-saving measures,' they were unable to save Mitchell, police said, and he was pronounced dead on the scene.
Munoz Castro was arrested and charged with one open count of murder and one count of tampering with evidence.
The second count, Montoya said, is because police suspect Munoz Castro hid the weapon when he ran inside.
Detectives searched the residence Friday night and recovered a weapon, though Lieutenant Montoya didn't indicate if it was the murder weapon.
The case remains active with the police department's Violent Crimes Unit.
Munoz Castro was arrested in March 2024, after police said they saw him driving the wrong way on E. Water Street. Officers conducted a traffic stop, after which Munoz Castro began physically resisting officers' attempts to remove him from the vehicle, according to a statement of probable cause from Officer Mitchell Torres.
Munoz Castro was charged with a litany of petty misdemeanors, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and the fourth-degree felony battery upon a peace officer. He later failed to appear in court, resulting in the issuance of a warrant on May 8, 2024.
Munoz Castro told officers while detained that his name was 'Alex Mitchell,' Torres' statement says. Police later checked his driver's license and noted it read 'Leonel Munoz.'
Alex Mitchell Muñoz is also the name of his Facebook account; his friends list includes his alleged victim, and possible brother, Aaron Mitchell.
Munoz Castro was charged with battery against a household member in July 2017. Assistant District Attorney Marlow Hooper dismissed the case without prejudice 'because the State has determined to no longer proceed in this matter, in the interest of justice,' according to a filing. 'Defendant has successfully complied with the conditions of a defense continuance.'
Another battery against a household member case involving the same alleged victim came in May 2020. It was dismissed without prejudice by Judge David McElroy because the victim was 'uncooperative,' leaving the state unable to proceed.
Munoz Castro was booked into Santa Fe County jail at 11:09 p.m. on Friday on charges of first-degree murder and failure to appear.
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