State v. Flores-Torres

Santa Fe, NM — Today, in Case No. D-101-CR-2022-00361, Eleazar Flores-Torres pled guilty to second-degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to give information and render aid, resulting in the death of Joaquin Martin in September 2021. The case was initially charged as first-degree murder but after extensive review and preparation, the prosecution determined that the case was provable as a second-degree murder. The FJDA acknowledges and respects Martin’s family’s concern that the statutory punishment does not reflect the crime. However, a second-degree murder conviction is consistent with the facts, supported by the evidence, and grounded in the law. At the time of the offense, second-degree homicide carried a maximum 15-year sentence and Flores-Torres will serve 16 years in the Department of Corrections. The FJDA acknowledges that the criminal justice process compounds trauma for surviving victims and that this has been a treacherous four years for Joaquin’s friends and family. The FJDA hopes that the family can find peace in Joaquin’s memory now that the criminal case has reached its conclusion.