Two 15-year-old boys with prior criminal records have been indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection with the killing of a homeless woman and separate attacks on other unhoused people in Española, authorities said.
A Rio Arriba County grand jury returned the indictment this week against Leon Law and Isaiah Maestas, both 15, accusing them of fatally shooting Monica Carter, 43, on May 31, and later opening fire on other homeless individuals near a local shelter.
Carter, who was living in a tent behind a shopping center on North Railroad Avenue, was found dead on a footpath behind the stores. She had been shot at close range, according to court documents. Prosecutors allege Law shot Carter in the abdomen with a rifle while Maestas fired a handgun at her face.
Carter, a mother of two, was described in her obituary as having “a big heart” and a “gentle spirit.” Friends and advocates said she was a familiar and kind presence in Española’s homeless community.
Prosecutors said the killing wasn’t an isolated act of violence. That same day, the teens allegedly shot another homeless person, leaving the victim permanently paralyzed.
Two days before Carter’s death, on May 29, the teens are accused of firing on a group of homeless people sleeping in tents outside the Española Pathways Shelter, the only low-barrier shelter in the area. Surveillance video from a nearby parking lot showed three individuals approaching the shelter, loading a rifle, and opening fire, investigators said.
No one was injured in that shooting, but prosecutors said the footage played a key role in linking Law and Maestas to the later homicide.
Both teens are charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and unlawful carrying of a handgun by a minor.
Maestas faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence involving a firearm.
The two pleaded not guilty to all charges and are held without bail at the San Juan Juvenile Detention Center in Farmington. District Judge T. Glenn Ellington ordered them detained, citing the “serious and violent nature” of the offenses and the risk they pose to public safety.
Pretrial detention hearings are scheduled for October 10 for Maestas and October 17 for Law.
Court records show both teens had prior encounters with the justice system. Law’s record includes a previous battery charge against another student, which was dismissed. Maestas has a pending case involving aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery from an incident that took place two weeks before Carter’s killing.
In their detention motions, prosecutors said the teens “demonstrated a complete disregard for human life,” noting they allegedly fired at sleeping people without provocation.
Carter’s killing has rattled Española’s small but close-knit homeless community. The Pathways Shelter, which provides meals, showers, and case management to up to 80 people daily, has become a gathering place for those mourning her death.
“She was one of the kindest souls here,” said a shelter volunteer who asked not to be named. “Everyone knew Monica.”
Community leaders say the case highlights growing concerns about violence toward people experiencing homelessness in northern New Mexico.
“This was a deliberate attack on some of our most vulnerable residents,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Arwen Gaddis wrote in court filings. “It’s shocking in its cruelty and calculated nature.”
The case has sparked broader discussions in Española about youth violence, mental health, and the lack of resources for both at-risk teens and the homeless population.
For many residents, the murder of Monica Carter has become a symbol of deeper issues — a community struggling with poverty, addiction, and limited social services.
As the case progresses, prosecutors say they plan to try both teens as adults. If convicted, Law and Maestas could face decades in prison.
