Domestic violence incident and officer-involved shooting close Highway 518 in Mora County
A domestic violence call in Mora County left a woman dead, led to an officer-involved shooting and renewed calls to repair alternate routes.
MORA, N.M. —
A domestic violence call in Mora County on Sunday resulted in the death of a woman, an officer-involved shooting, and the closure of Highway 518 for hours.
New Mexico State Police responded to reports of a man “striking a female” inside a truck and later holding her in a headlock as she tried to escape.
Officers arrived to find 34-year-old Amity Maes dead in the road.
About an hour later, police said the male suspect, 24-year-old Alejandro Vigil, returned to the scene, led officers on a chase, and eventually pointed a firearm at his own head and then toward officers.
Two state police officers shot Vigil, who was treated on-site and taken to the hospital.
The Mora Independent School District canceled classes Monday due to the incident.
Residents expressed concerns about the lack of alternate routes during emergencies, noting that a nearby mountain road, damaged by past flooding, is difficult to pass.
“This road, it needs work, it hasn’t been used, it got messed up,” Mora County native Trinnie Bruce Cordova said.
Cordova said he spent Sunday night helping around 50 people navigate the damaged road with his side-by-side vehicle so they could make it home.
“It makes me feel good because there’s a lot of people that really needed help to get home, get to their families,” Cordova said.
Residents are now calling for repairs to the mountain road to ensure access if Highway 518 closes again.
State police said Vigil’s condition is unknown. He is facing several charges, including three counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer.
The cause of Amity Maes’ death remains under investigation.
