Thats also where she was working on Oct. 8, 2007, the first time she met Levi Chavez face-to-face, according to her testimony. Comparing Online Sportsbook Welcome Bonuses. Mr. Levi Chavez was born and raised in New Mexico and has a military and law enforcement background. Joseph Cordova, Teras father, told the outlet, The culture which we grew up in, his family was from law enforcement. After being pronounced not guilty by a jury in 2013, Levi sought to become a lawyer after a couple of years of training and was admitted into the University of New Mexico Law School, where he reportedly concentrated on criminal law. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The Valencia County District Attorney stated Chavez violated the . He has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. Powered by. Investigators eventually deemed her death to be suspicious and Levi Chavez became the primary suspect, especially after he remarried less than seven months following his first wifes death. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. Facebook Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Plunged into the limelight: Camilla 'wants her five teenage grandchildren to take centre stage at Charles's coronation alongside the King's Royal heirs - performing a role previously given to Duchesses as the new Queen is anointed with holy oil', Newspaper comic strip Dilbert gets canceled after its creator is branded racist for warning white people to 'get the f**k away' from black people - before doubling down on his beliefs. Chavez was eventually charged with first-degree murder and obstructing justice, responding to which he entered a not guilty plea and, to date, asserts his innocence. The OTHER side of the law: Former Albuquerque police officer Levi Chavez seen here in his mugshot after allegedly murdering his wife. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. At first, because of how the crime scene looked, Teras death was ruled a suicide. I didnt speak with her.. That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. action 7 . However, after several suspicions, connections, and autopsy reports were drawn, investigators and the victim's family accused the officer of allegedly shooting and murdering Tera Chavez in the bed of their Los Lunas home. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying in his 911 call, PEOPLE reported. Play it now! But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. . Katrina Garley testified that she met Levi Chavez when he walked into the Verizon cellphone store in Los Lunas to buy a phone in early October 2007. She didnt leave them., When she was just 15 years old, Tera met Levi Chavez and became pregnant with his child, Alibi reported. She had a twin brother, named Josh, who said, She was my lifeline. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer The murder trial eventually took place in the summer of 2013 and lasted a total of 21 days of testimony and two days of deliberation, KOAT wrote. The following article appeared on page C1 of the Friday, June 28, 2013, edition of the Albuquerque Journal. Chavez could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted on charges that he killed Tera Chavez, 26, in the couples home near Los Lunas and tried to make it look like a suicide. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. She loved strong., READ NEXT: Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says, Tera Chavezs Death: Levi Chavez Was Charged With Murdering His Wife, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Chavez discovered his wife dead, with a gunshot wound to the mouth upon returning home on October 22, 2007. It took two years following Chavezs arrest for the trial to move forward due to delays from civil trials, motion hearings and the trial having to move venues, according to KOAT. But the disgraced former. The trial revealed a crumbling marriage that was. He will face a much higher judge upon his death and he wont have a slick as ownsh*t jew loyah to bamboozle the jury. Serna told Chavez. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying. A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle, Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate, Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what. After Garleys testimony, Serna and Keener argued for more than 45 minutes outside the presence of the jury about which of the cellphone data examined by an FBI analyst should be shown to the jury. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Prosecutor Bryan McKay, who told jurors during closing arguments that Chavez used his department-issued gun to commit 'cold-blooded, calculated, planned-out murder,' declined to comment after the verdict. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. "What did I tell you?" Serna told Chavez. Published: 09:01 EST, 17 July 2013 | Updated: 09:01 EST, 17 July 2013. I didnt answer the call, Heather Chavez said. She liked to draw, and she liked to write poetry, she recalled. Heavy reached out to the university for more information about his admittance but did not immediately hear back. 'Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it.'. Serna on Thursday spent two and a half hours cross-examining Citizen. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. With the departure of our son, Jorge Levi Chavez, to eternity, I write that he was not a son from the womb but from the. State District Judge George P. Eichwald instructed the two to Quit arguing back and forth like kids.. Chavez is a former Albuquerque Police Department officer, accused of killing his wife at their Los Lunas home in 2007. Tera Chavez had been looking for a business space to rent for her salon and had an appointment to meet a landlord just two days after the day she died, Alibi wrote. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Her room was the best room in the house to walk into because it smelled so good.. This time, Levi Chavez said he is the one who has been wronged. The lawsuit against Jones was dismissed in 2018. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. Levi Chavez Was Charged With His Wife's Murder Years Later & His New Wife & Mistresses Testified As mentioned, Levi Chavez was charged with her murder in April 2011, but it took another. But on direct examination by Bryan McKay, senior trial attorney for the 13th Judicial District Attorneys Office, Garley testified that she also went to the home the Chavezes had shared at 11 Ash Place on the weekend of Nov. 11 and 12, 2007. YouTubeLevi Chavezs second wife Heather testifying during the trial. By abqjournal. Levi Chavez eventually filed a federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, who was a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death and was one of the first on the scene. The official synopsis of the episode says. His profile states: Mr. Levi Chavez was born and raised in New Mexico and has a military and law enforcement background. Her Albuquerque police officer husband found her and called 911. When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. During his testimony last week, Chavez frequently broke down and had to take breaks when he recounted his ill treatment of his late wife throughout their marriage. That treatment included sexual relationships with four different women and constant breakups that began with way back when the couple were high school students. Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. Now that he has graduated, instead of being a practicing attorney, Levi works at a non-profit organization called Heading Home, which spearheads the campaign to eradicate homelessness in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. On the morning of Oct. 22, 2007, Levi said he came home in Los Lunas and found his wife dead in bed from a gunshot to her mouth. I wasnt worried.. Chavez was placed on leave at the police department where he worked and eventually, on April 7, 2011, he was arrested and charged with his wifes murder, KOAT reported. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. She was an indoor girl, kind of girly. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a . We raised Andrea as a family., The young couple married in 2000 even though their relationship was already facing some problems, her brothers said. Season 2 Episode 2 of Dateline: Unforgettable is scheduled to air on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on Oxygen, with Josh Mankiewicz reporting on the story. Tera Chavezs mother, Theresa Cordova, said her daughter was an artist, according to a feature on Chavezs life in Alibi. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. 'This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out.'. Based on the information provided on their website, Levi is now serving as the Emergency Housing Director at their Westside Emergency Housing Center. Former APD officer Levi Chavez is accused of killing his wife Tera. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. In 2000, they tied the knot and moved to Virginia, where Levi was working as a Coast Guard. It appears that Chavez is now working for a non-profit organization called Heading Home that gives emergency housing and permanent housing support to people who are homeless in New Mexico, according to their website. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. Levi Chavez alleged malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, defamation, and outrageous conduct, according to court documents. Where is he today? He told the operator she killed herself and that he hadnt said anything because He thought she needed time.. Shed never leave them of her own will. However, the case took a shocking turn after some disturbing facts came to the surface. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. According to reports, an Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer Levi Chaves was suspected of shooting and murdering his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez, with his issued service gun after. AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Adolphe Pierre-Louis, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son. Audrina Patridge Niece: What Happened To Sadie Raine Loza? BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called 911 to say his wife had shot herself in the head, a text message popped up on his cellphone suggesting that a new marriage wasnt far off. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . After investigations revealed secrets involving an unhappy marriage, tangled love affairs, and a web of lies, it was Levi who came under the microscope for Teras alleged murder and the subsequent cover-up. Chavez of course denies the incident. "What did I tell you?" Tera, a four-year-old girl, died in August 2017 when her car seat was too full of pillows and blankets while she was strapped into it. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. ", As the murder case gained more attention from the media and public, Chavez and the Albuquerque Police Department became the targets of heavy scrutiny. I told you guys that from the beginning. Levi Chavez. Acquitted: Levi Chavez, center, a former Albuquerque police officer, leaves the court after his month-long trial, Grief: Theresa and Joseph Cordova, parents of Tera Chavez, leave the Sandoval County Judicial Complex, saying 'justice has not been served'. ROYALE, LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER TERA CHAVEZ DIED-THEN A-P-D DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI WAS ALREADY TEXTING LEVI ABOUT HER NAME BECOMING HEATHER CHAVEZ INDICATING SHE WANTED TO MARRY HIM. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. THE DEFENSE REVEALED TERA CALLED AT LEAST EIGHT NUMBERS ON THAT LIST-- INCLUDING HEATHER IN SEPTEMBER 2007. INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated INVESTIGATION - Death of APD Officer's Wife Investigated. He also told her she should have more information., I listened, Heather Chavez said about the interview. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want to return to the state's largest police department. Please logout and login again. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. THE TEXTS DIDN'T STOP THERE ANOTHER, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, FROM HEATHER TO LEVI SAYING HE WAS HER REASON TO EXIST. Dr. The interview between Levi Chavez and former Valencia County Sheriff's Detective Aaron Jones was recorded shortly after deputies found Tera Chavez at the couple's home, dead from a gunshot . LIVE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY LZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS.. COUNT ON KOAT-DOT-COM FOR. The Officer's Wife Dateline NBC True Crime Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. Levi Chavez. He told reporters that he wasnt surprised at all and that throughout the whole process, he knew he would be cleared. No comments have so far been submitted. In December 2013, it was made public that Chavez had relinquished his police officer certification. The call did not go to voicemail. DETAILING JUST HOW QUICKLY THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPED ONCE TERA CHAVEZ DIED. Episode Website More Episodes 2019 NBC News Top Podcasts In True Crime See All Levi Chavez Found 43 people in New Mexico, Arizona and 24 other states. (AP) BERNALILLO, New Mexico - The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun. Heres what you need to know about Tera Chavezs death: Levi Chavez said he came home on October 22, 2007, and found his wife dead from a gunshot wound from his service weapon, PEOPLE wrote. Following all this, the investigating officers on this case thought that they finally found a motive; Levi killed his wife because he didnt want to get caught engaging in illegal activities and wanted to pursue other relationships without worries. It was hailed as a new era when designers finally recognised 'real women' but they have once again been sidelined by stick-thin models, Taking the Mickey! The murder trial of Chavezs wife lasted over two years, according to KOAT. Your login session has expired. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. Heather Chavez said that, despite the appearance given in the text she sent Levi about taking his last name and more than 400 calls between the two from Oct. 8, 2007 to Dec. 12 of that year they did not begin a sexual relationship until late November or early December.. August 7, 2015. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Levi Chavez's current wife takes the stand, Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez. / CBS News. Would love your thoughts, please comment. He is suing the detective who first launched the investigation into the 2007 death of Levi's wife, Tera Chavez.