New Mexico State Police are investigating a double homicide that occurred early Sunday morning in Socorro.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Socorro County Magistrate Court, the homicide occurred at 12:40 a.m. Sunday, July 3 at an address on N. 6th Street. Two Socorro men, 39-year-old Christopher Heath and 34-year-old Jerid Trujillo, were killed.

A Lemitar man, 21-year-old Trenton Paul Fowler (McDaniel), is facing two counts of first-degree murder (open charge). He was booked into the Socorro County Detention Center.

According to the criminal complaint, a witness and Christopher Heath were outside working on a stereo system the night of July 2 into the early morning. The witness noticed a suspicious vehicle, then entered the house.

Witnesses inside the house saw, via surveillance system, someone looking over the fence. The person knocked on the front door, before walking toward the sidewalk where they encountered Trujillo, who had arrived a few minutes prior. Then the witnesses heard approximately 30 to 40 gunshots and called 911. They stayed inside until police arrived, for fear of being shot.

When officers responded, they searched the alley north of the residence and reported a description of the suspect vehicle.

A Valencia County Sheriff’s deputy detained two suspects around 1 a.m. Sunday morning in Belen, because the vehicle they were in fit the description. According to the complaint, police confirmed with surveillance video that the vehicle drove by the incident location numerous times shortly before the homicide.

Fowler and a relative were the suspects in the vehicle.

Fowler had a 9mm handgun on his person when he was detained, the complaint says.

The relative denied any involvement in the deaths and was later released. He told police that Fowler dropped him off shortly after 11 p.m., then left to run an errand for about an hour and picked him back up. They were headed back to Albuquerque when police detained them.

According to the complaint, while in custody Fowler asked to speak to a sergeant and said he would explain what happened if he was promised his relative would be let go. He was advised the sergeant could not promise him anything and the interview was terminated.

The Socorro Police Department turned the case over to the State Police due to the forensics necessary in the case, said Police Chief Mike Winders. He was unable to release any information on the case. New Mexico State Police released an initial statement on Sunday that two men had been killed and two detained, and that there was no ongoing threat to the community.  NMSP released a full press release Thursday morning.

The case is still under investigation and any leads or additional information can be provided to NMSP Investigations Bureau at 505-841-9256.

This story was updated Wednesday, July 6 with information from a criminal complaint filed in Socorro County Magistrate Court and updated Thursday, July 7 with additional information from a New Mexico State Police press release. According to NMSP, Fowler uses two last names: McDaniel is the name listed on the criminal complaint, but Fowler is his legal last name. This story has been updated to reflect that. 

Cathy Cook | El Defensor Chieftain Editor