According to the prosecution, she was on the verge of filing a complaint against him for fraudulent activity. Theyve long been appreciated for their Sign up for our daily newsletter and get the best of fashionuer in your in-box. May 1, 2008. 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. However, nearly four years after Tera took her last breath, Levi was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. End of November, end of November, December BUT IT WAS EVEN EARLIER THAN THAT-- JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER LEVI'S WIFE TERA DIED HINDI SENT HIM A TEXT READING "MMM DETECTIVE CHAVEZ WITH HOMICIDE." Levi Chavezs current wife takes the stand, Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez, WEBVTT IN DAY 14 OF THE LEVI CHAVEZ TRIAL, HIS CURRENT WIFE, A-P-D OFFICER HEATHER CHAVEZ TAKES THE STAND. 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.. Her twin brother described her as a strong woman and a loving mother. Following the not-guilty verdict, Chavez fileda federal lawsuit against Aaron Jones, a detective with the Valencia County Sheriffs Department at the time of Teras death. Cinemaholic reports that Chavez was accepted at the University of New Mexico Law School and began studying for his degree in 2016, where he specialized in criminal law. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. But on that night in October, Levi, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, called 911 to report that he'd found his wife dead in their home. Much of the trial centered on allegations that Albuquerque police officers who responded to the Chavez home in nearby Los Lunas removed and even flushed key evidence down a toilet. Josh Mankiewicz reports. His ex-wife, Kellie May Xiong Chauvin, who was crowned Mrs. Minnesota in 2019, legally separated from Chauvin on May 28, 2020 - just three days after a viral bystander video showed her husband . She knew every single secret about me no matter what. Chavez also had a younger brother, Aaron. Right. . I knew Id be acquitted. The two exchanged seven telephone calls on May 12 of that year, according to cellphone records that investigators found under a mattress Tera Chavezs body was lying on. Through witness testimony, the public learned that Chavez had been having a number of affairs while married to Tera Chavez. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light . The records show roughly the same pattern for Oct. 20: Levi Chavezs cellphone was on the West Side during the hours of the swing shift, then in the Heights shortly thereafter. 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 wasn't far off.. Shed never leave them of her own will. KRQE News 13 has learned former Albuquerque Police officer Levi Chavez, who was fired after he was charged with the murder of his wife, could soon be working closely with the city as part of a non- 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. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Chavez, 32, of murdering his depressed wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's . Please enter valid email address to continue. This time, Levi Chavez said he is the one who has been wronged. He immediately called the police, who, looking at the crime scene, ruled it suicide. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? Nov 21, 2007. Then, on April 7, 2011, the police officer was charged with Tera Chavezs murder, arrested and fired from his job with the police department, KOAT wrote. Her family said they knew there was trouble in the relationship and they had heard Levi Chavez was cheating on his wife, Alibi reported. The records also show that following the end of the shift at midnight, the phone was in the far Northeast Heights, near the home of a fellow APD officer with whom Chavez was having an affair. when did the romantic relationship start? Detective Jones, who suspected that Levi Chavez had murdered his wife eighteen to twenty hours before he . You could pretty much put her through the wringer, and shed still love you like it never happened. Some of the affairs were with female APD officers.[4]. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. Derek Chauvin's personal history: About his ex-wife, stepchildren, past INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious. I knew Id be acquitted. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. They werent told that tens of instances in which Levi Chavezs attorneys asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had been excised from the deposition. Levi was born on October 9, 1925 in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico to Jose and Hilaria Chavez. 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. The call did not go to voicemail. pic.twitter.com/O5xOecrgtD, HeadingHomeNM (@HeadingHomeNM) June 1, 2020. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. rules the death self-inflicted The medical examiner ruled Tera's death a suicide. 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. 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. But Keener pointed to more phone records that showed a call from Teras phone to Heathers on Sept. 29, 2007. Her husband Levi Chavez, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, was the one who called 911 and told them shed committed suicide. Levi has undergraduate degrees from UNM and CNM, as well as a law degree from the UNM School of Law. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. Published: 09:01 EST, 17 July 2013 | Updated: 09:01 EST, 17 July 2013. Levi was ultimately cleared of all charges. Levi Chavez timeline | Timetoast timelines Earlier Thursday, the fourth of Levi Chavezs many paramours to testify in the murder trial took the stand. He. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Detective Aaron Jones with the Valencia County Sheriffs Office said he found Tera Chavezs diary, which detailed her despair and, in more recent times, her hopes for the future and her decision to leave her husband. Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Chavez and family gathered to pray a Hail Mary until Serna grabbed Chavez by the arm to escort him through a crowded pathway of supporters and family members. Levi Chavez, ex-New Mexico police officer, acquitted of wife's murder Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Levi Chavez has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova, Alibi reported. Dated Nov. 14, 2007, it was from a fellow APD officer whose name, at the time, was Heather Hindi. In July 2013, Levi Chavez was found not guilty of first-degree murder. BREAKING: Former APD officer Levi Chavez back in jail: A Valencia County judge has sent Levi Chavez back to jail after a hearing on Wednesday. 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. 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. Some extra notes, quotes, news and notes from the Lobos Friday night basketball game in Fort Collins, Colorado. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying. However, things began turning around for the mother of two when she began making plans to leave her husband and open a salon of her own, her family said. If the scores of text messages, call logs, pictures of Teras children and photos of her kitties were going to be admitted as evidence, Serna argued, so, too, should the naked pictures and videos. 'I took her for granted.'. Tera Chavez was found dead of a gunshot wound and while her death was initially ruled a suicide, her husband was eventually charged with her murder. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. In July 2013, after a month-long trial, the verdict from the jury came in: not guilty. She said she knew Tera had died and Levi Chavez told her the couples two children were home that weekend. Ex-New Mexico Cop Levi Chavez Acquitted of Wife's Murder - Newsmax After the two reviewed numerous pages of Verizon records showing calls made to and from both Teras and Levis cellphones, as well as cellphone tower records, Serna declared that the records supported his clients story about where he had been the weekend of Teras death. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Tera Chavezs parents say the entire legal process has been difficult because they want to continue to be in their grandchildrens lives but they also want Teras kids to know she didnt commit suicide. / CBS News. Tera Chavez Death: Why Parents Believe Death Was Not A Suicide | Crime News [2] Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. In 2000, they tied the knot and moved to Virginia, where Levi was working as a Coast Guard. Former police officer acquitted of wife's murder | Local News Please logout and login again. 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. In court today, she said the calls were work related, and Keener did not press her for specifics. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying in his 911 call, PEOPLE reported. Levi Chavez. News of his admittance to the university was met with some concern from alumni and other students, New Mexico PBS reported. By abqjournal. Prosecutors had sought to keep from jurors what Serna described in explicit detail as sexual photographs and videos Tera had taken of herself and sent to Levi. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. Dateline Unforgettable: Is Tera Chavez's cop husband Levi Chavez guilty Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. Tera Chavez. Levi Chavez Work History and Career Records - Radaris 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. Valencia County sheriffs initially ruled the death as a suicide due to the "close proximity of the gun to the body. 'Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it.'. THE TEXTS DIDN'T STOP THERE ANOTHER, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, FROM HEATHER TO LEVI SAYING HE WAS HER REASON TO EXIST. WE ALSO LEARNED FRIDAY THAT HEATHER-WENT TO TERA CHAVEZ'S FUNERAL. "What did I tell you?" She had a twin brother, named Josh, who said, She was my lifeline. Levi Chavez's current wife takes the stand, Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez. A A. Levi Chavez, an ex-New Mexico police officer, was acquitted Tuesday in the 2007 murder of his estranged wife, but could still face a wrongful death civil lawsuit. Serna will begin his cross-examination of Heather Chavez this afternoon. Comparing Online Sportsbook Welcome Bonuses. We always thought, Hell take care of her.'. But the disgraced former. 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. 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. Levi was engaged to Heather Hindi two months after Tera died and married a few months later, according to PEOPLE. Levi Chavez - Wikipedia Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that hed come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. NBCs Dateline: The Officers Wife examines the mind-boggling case of Tera Chavezs passing, who was found shot to death on October 21, 2007, on her bed, in the home that she shared with her Albuquerque Police Department officer husband, Levi Chavez. 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. 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. 'I don't feel like speaking for his future.'. Tera Chavezs mother, Theresa Cordova, said her daughter was an artist, according to a feature on Chavezs life in Alibi. During his trial, he was found not guilty of first-degree murder and was acquitted of the charges. After Chavez left the store, Garley sent him a text message on his newly purchased phone to tell him he had nice eyes, she said from the witness stand. Breaking News: Levi Chavez found NOT GUILTY of all charges in the death of Tera Chavez in 2007. He has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. The former police officer, graduating with a law degree, serves in a non-profit company known as Heading Home and assists the organization in its fight against homelessness in Albuquerque, New Mexico. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Chavez called 911 to report the alleged suicide around 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007. 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 . Copyright 2022 by Fashionuer. That treatment included sexual relationships with four different women and constant breakups that began with way back when the couple were high school students. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LAUREN ZAKALIK IS LIVE OUTSIDE COURT TO EXPLAIN. A summary is at Levi Chavez, Ex-Police Officer, Not Guilty Of Murdering Wife. Her relationship with Chavez started when he was still married to Marisabel. 'He took one more breath and that's it': Mother describes Ex-marine father murdered wife and 17-month-old son before Pennsylvania woman gets life for stabbing her fianc to Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' 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. Chavez told jurors that he found his wife dead from a gunshot wound and thought it was God's way of punishing him. 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. Later on, when Tera passed away, he claimed that the only reason he hadnt left his wife was because of their two children. Do not sell or share my personal information. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THAT LEVI BOUGHT HER A DIAMOND RING. 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. 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. The pair met when they were just teenagers starting high school, and soon, they got into a serious relationship. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. 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. Where is he today? Your login session has expired. 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. Although the case initially looked like a suicide, investigators dug up evidence and theories that proved otherwise. As mentioned, Levi Chavez was charged with her murder in April 2011, but it took another two years for the case to go to court due to a series of motion hearings, civil trials and a change of venue for the trial, KOAT reported. Her mother said she wants the kids to know, Shed never leave them. Witnesses also described a workplace where interoffice romance was rampant and said both Levi and Tera Chavez had affairs with members of the police force. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. According to reports, he is now the husband of APD Detective Heather. The trial revealed a crumbling marriage that was. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. Three weeks after Teras death, Levi Chavez was having sex with another woman in the home near Los Lunas from which authorities had removed Tera Chavezs body, according to the mistresss testimony. Her husband Levi is suspected soon after because of suspicious circumstantial evidence, but there is no confession, eyewitness or 'smoking gun' forensic evidence. 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. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. I didnt do anything wrong.. did you ever go to the address on ash place? But the prosecutors had alleged that he . John Fetterman Wife: Who Is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. Dr. Ex-New Mexico police officer acquitted of wife's murder She liked to draw, and she liked to write poetry, she recalled. Accused: Prosecutors have depicted Levi Chavez as a philanderer whose marriage was crumbling, and say he killed his wife after she found out he had staged the theft of his pickup truck to collect the insurance proceeds. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. They also werent allowed to watch video of that deposition. Josh Mankiewicz reports. She testified this morning that she is currently assigned to the APD Crimes Against Children Unit. Im innocent. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Levi Chavez, ex-police officer, not guilty of murdering wife", "Levi Chavez relinquishes police certification", "Extramarital affairs take center stage in ex-cop murder trial", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Levi_Chavez&oldid=1082952788, Articles needing additional references from March 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Former police officer, Attorney at Law, www.levichavezlaw.com, This page was last edited on 16 April 2022, at 03:25. He and his defense attorney, David Serna, maintain that Tera shot herself with Levis Glock 9 mm. For Tera Chavez, Levi was her high school sweetheart, husband, and the entire world. Would love your thoughts, please comment. "Dateline NBC" The Officer's Wife (TV Episode 2013) - IMDb Her husband, Albuquerque Police Department officer Levi Chavez, was the one who discovered her body and called 911, claiming that it looked like his wife had shot herself with his department-issued weapon. In his profile, it says: During the investigations into Tera Chavezs murder and during Levi Chavezs trial, one key talking point was how quickly he appeared to move on. State District Judge George Eichwald ruled that one nude photograph would be available only to the jury that it wouldnt be shown in open court and that the lawyers could ask questions of witnesses about the videos without getting into the details.. Payton Gendron: Why Payton Gendron Got Arrested? Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Im innocent. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. All Rights Reserved. Levi Chavez acquitted of wife's murder in New Mexico Heavy reached out to UNM for additional information about Chavezs admission status; however, we did not receive a response by press time. And did you have intimate relations at 11 ash place in 07? 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 . Serna told Chavez. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. After gaining back his freedom, Levi Chavez decided that he wanted to change his career but still be in the justice system. 'I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary,' Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. Now that so many years have gone by, lets take a look at where he currently is, shall we? Under the name Heading Home, this organization has connections in New Mexico, according to its website. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. KOB 4 - BREAKING: Former APD officer Levi Chavez back in - Facebook Levi Chavez was charged with the murder of his wife, Tera, but he has maintained his innocence and said she committed suicide. He is suing the detective who first launched the investigation into the 2007 death of Levi's wife, Tera Chavez. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. Levi had spent the night at his current girlfriend's house. or debate this issue live on our message boards. Ex-police officer acquitted of murder of wife | AP News EXPOSE': The Murder and Cover-up of a Small Town Girl; Tera Chavez Jorge was born on August 28, 1961 in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala.