A New Mexico man is accused of murdering his mother, father, sister, and family dog and taking their remains to a ravine outside the family home before being discovered cleaning the crime scene. Adlai Mestre, 24, faces a litany of accusations in connection with the deadly gunshots of his father, Raymundo, 46, mother, Bertha, 51, sister Brielle, 17, and the family dog, authorities said. Mestre faces three open counts of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, extreme cruelty to animals, escaping from a peace officer’s custody, and criminal property damage, according to online court records.
On Sunday at 2:14 p.m., a landlord contacted 911 after hearing bullets fired next door at 55 Young Road in Tijeras, more than 15 miles east of Albuquerque, according to authorities. According to the lawsuit, the landlord claimed to know the family of four that resided there. After hearing the gunshots, he attempted to contact them but received no answer, according to court filings. He even attempted honking his car’s horn to attract their attention, but no one came out. Deputies arrived and discovered Mestre exiting the house, according to court filings. He allegedly possessed a firearm and a second magazine loaded with bullets. While being detained by deputies, Mestre said something along the lines of, “I killed them and was going to bury them,” according to the complaint.
Deputies discovered blood transfer patterns in the home that matched drag marks and “mopping/cleaning,” according to the affidavit. Deputies also found a bloodied knife and a meat tenderizer at the front door. Deputies discovered the victims’ bodies lying face down in a small arroyo about 50 yards northeast of the property, with apparent gunshot wounds. They seemed to have been stabbed, according to the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, Mestre recorded notes on a police officer’s tablet at the station, including timings of what he said were “seismic waves” as well as how he shot at cell towers and had thermal imaging on his residence.
The defendant, who, according to the complaint, had blood on his hands, clothing, and shoes, allegedly admitted to killing his father in the living room and his mother as she came down the stairs. It was unclear from the lawsuit when Mestre reportedly murdered his sister. He claimed he pulled them outside to bury them in the ravine and attempted to clean up with a mop before being stopped by responding deputies, according to court filings. He also acknowledged shooting the family dog, describing it as “ravenous,” according to the affidavit. Authorities say they discovered a dog with at least one gunshot wound on the property.
According to investigators, the allegations of escape from police custody and criminal property damage were filed while the suspect was in detention. Mestre punched and kicked a wall in the interview room and fled through the hole he made before investigators apprehended him, according to court filings.
