On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Matthew Red Fuentez, of Hobbs, was sentenced to 37 years in prison by New Mexico 5th Judicial District Court Judge Mark Sanchez. Fuentez’s prison sentence is the result of being found guilty on numerous charges in an August 13, 2020 homicide in Lovington.
On that date officers of the Lovington Police Department (LPD) responded to the 1000 block of West Gore Avenue regarding a male gunshot victim. After arriving at the scene, officers called for EMS assistance. The victim, identified as 29-year-old David Lee Castillis, was transported to Nor-Lea Hospital where he died shortly thereafter.
According to NewsWest9, LPD investigators found that the shooting was the outgrowth of a “jealously fueled love triangle” amongst victim Castillas, suspect Fuentez and an unidentified Hobbs woman. It is thought that Fuentez made threats to both Castillas and the woman in the days prior to the incident.
The NewsWest9 report states, “… Fuentez fired off six shots total and one of them hit the victim in the chest leading to his death.”
Thirty-three at the time of the incident, Fuentez was charged with Murder in the First Degree, Shooting At or From a Motor Vehicle, Tampering with Evidence, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Child Abuse (five counts). The charge of five counts of Child Abuse comes from the fact that five children saw the shooting.
It is thought that Fuentez traveled from Hobbs to Lovington to confront Castillas outside of the woman’s residence. Fuentez fired six shots, and one hit Castillas in the chest. Five children living in the residence saw the shooting.
In October of 2022 Fuentez was convicted on the the five counts of Child Abuse, Second Degree Homicide and Shooting At or From a Motor Vehicle. According to NewWest9, Fuentez’s sentences will run consecutively not concurrently. His crimes are considered “Serious Violent Offenses”, meaning that Fuentez will be required to serve at least 85% of his 37-year sentence before being eligible for parole.
Fuentez has not yet been tried for the offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
