Between 2001 and 2005, 11 women were buried by an unknown person in an arroyo bank on Albuquerque’s West Mesa, in an underdeveloped area within the cities limits. Satellite images taken between 2003 and 2005 show tire marks and patches of disturbed soil in the area where the women were found. In 2006, development had disturbed the area and, soon after, the site was buried and platted for residential development. Due to the 2008 Housing Bubble collapse, development on the west side had been stopped before housing could be built. After neighbors complained about flooding at the platted site (due to the burial of the natural arroyo), the developer built a retaining wall to channel storm water to a detention pond built in the area of the burial site, bringing bones to the surface.
On February 2, 2009, a woman walking a dog found a human bone on the West Mesa and reported it to the police. As a result of the police investigation, the bodies of the 11 women and a fetus were discovered. All of them were between the ages 15 and 32 years, most were involved in drugs and sex work. The victims were Jamie Barela, 15, Monica Candelaria, 22, Victoria Chavez, 26, Syllania Edwards, 15, ( a runaway from Lawton, Oklahoma, the only victim from out of state and the only African American), Cinnamon Elks, 32, Doreen Marquez, 24, Virginia Cloven, 24, Julie Nieto, 24, Veronica Romero, 28, Evelyn Salazar, 27, and Michelle Valdez, 22. Michelle was four months pregnant at the time, explaining the fetus.
Police suspect that the bodies were all buried by the same person(s), and may be the work of a serial killer, who has been given the name “West Mesa Bone Collector”. Authorities also believe that the murders are closely linked to the annual state fair, which attracts large numbers of sex workers to the area in the fall. Initially, two men attracted police attention in connection with the murders. They were Fred Reynolds and Lorenzo Montoya. Reynolds was a pimp who knew one of the missing women and had photos of missing sex workers; he also died of natural causes in 2009. Lorenzo Montoya lived less than three miles from the burial site. In 2006 there were reportedly tire tracks leading from his trailer to the site. In December 2006, Montoya strangled a teenager at his trailer and then was shot to death by the teen’s boyfriend.
In August 2010, police searched several properties in Joplin, Missouri associated with a local photographer and businessman in connection with the West Mesa case. They confiscated “tens of thousands” of photos from the man, who reportedly used to visit the Albuquerque. In December 2010, serial killer Scott Lee Kimball stated that he was being investigated for the West Mesa murders, but he had always denied killing the women.
Another suspect is Joseph Blea. Blea has be dubbed the “Mid-School Rapist” for his activities in the 80’s. Police say he would often break into the homes of 13-15 year old girls who lived near McKinley Middle School in Albuquerque and rape them. In one case, there was a DNA sample but the rape test kit wasn’t rerun until 2010, linking Blea to the rape. Blea is also suspected of killing a sex worker; his DNA sample was located on the inner waistband and belt of a sex worker that had been found dead on Central Ave (a notorious street for sex work). In addition, a tree tag from a nursery was found in the area where the victims were found; it tracked back to a nursery that Blea once frequented. Blea, in the Mid-School rape case, was sentenced to 36 years in June 2015, at the age of 58.
No official suspects have ever been named in connection with the murders. A reward up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.
IF you have any information involving the case, please contact the Albuquerque police at (505) 823-4455 , (505) 831-4705, and (505) 761-8800