Nineteen-year-old Eddie Martinez is now charged with First Degree Murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old James Lara-Salazar of Hobbs. Lara-Salazar was seriously injured by several gunshot wounds early on the morning of Saturday, May 25.

In addition to his First Degree Murder charge, Martinez is charged with the Fourth Degree Felony – Tampering with Evidence.

Hobbs Police Department (HPD) press releases (PDF) state that officers responded to an incident in the 2000 block of North Kingsley Street in Hobbs at approximately 12:20 am, on Saturday, May 25. Officers found James Lara-Salazar suffering from several gunshot wounds. After being taken to a hospital in Hobbs, Lara-Salazar was airlifted to a Lubbock, Texas hospital where he was listed in critical condition. Later on Thursday, May 30, Lara-Salazar succumbed to his injuries.

HPD officers conducted a thorough investigation of the shooting incident, including the “…review of several video surveillance accounts….” As a result an arrest warrant was obtained for Martinez who resides in Hobbs. Subsequently, on the morning of Wednesday, May 29, HPD officers located and arrested Martinez at a residence in the 600 block of East Humble Street in Hobbs.

HPD reminds the public that the investigation of this incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call dispatch at (575) 397-9265 or Lea County Crime Stoppers at (575) 393-8005. Those providing information may be eligible for an award. The public is also reminded that Individuals may message HPD privately on Facebook. HPD states that the department’s Facebook page is not “…monitored in real time and is not a good avenue to report real-time crime.”