In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. In 2018, the case was dismissed due to missing information and incorrect information that was cited as reasons to dismiss the case. Jim Fisher True Crime: The Levi Chavez Murder Case - Blogger In all likelihood, Chavezs cellphone was turned off between 12:27 a.m. and 3:32 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007, said Jody Citizen, a senior analyst for the Verizon Wireless companys legal department. He has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. 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. 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. 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. BUT HEATHER INSISTS THE WOMEN NEVER SPOKE. The sexual relationship? 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 . However, as Dateline NBC explored on its episode The Officers Wife, investigators had questions about her death, especially as the gun used was Levi Chavezs department-issued firearm. (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. Her Albuquerque police officer husband found her and called 911. 'I don't feel like speaking for his future.'. Thats the past, Heather Chavez said in court today. Levi Chavez Profiles | Facebook 'This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out.'. So where is Levi Chavez now? [2] 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. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. John Fetterman Wife: Who Is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. Later on, when Tera passed away, he claimed that the only reason he hadnt left his wife was because of their two children. Jones showed Heather Chavez crime scene photos from Teras death scene and told her people were worried about her. Mr. Levi Chavez was born and raised in New Mexico and has a military and law enforcement background. 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. She testified this morning that she is currently assigned to the APD Crimes Against Children Unit. On Jan. 15, 2008, Heather Chavez gave an interview to then-Detective Aaron Jones, who was investigating Teras death for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. Chavez discovered his wife dead, with a gunshot wound to the mouth upon returning home on October 22, 2007. 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 sues detective over murder investigation - KRQE 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. Levi Chavez has maintained that his wife's death was an act of suicide. 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. when did the romantic relationship start? 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. However, nearly four years after Tera took her last breath, Levi was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. The upcoming episode of Dateline Unforgettable will premiere at 8.00 pm ET on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. And really, these female cops, Regina Sanchez, Heather whatever her name is, and SRO officer horrible Debra Romero have the audacity to say "I didn't know" Some extra notes, quotes, news and notes from the Lobos Friday night basketball game in Fort Collins, Colorado. 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. Levi's Obituary On July 9, 2021, we lost our father, Levi Chavez, Levi passed away at the awesome age of 95. Levi Chavez, 32, was accused of killing his hairdresser wife with his police-issued handgun and making it look like a suicide amid a crumbling marriage that included a love triangle at her hair . But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. Also in court this morning, jurors heard a heavily redacted recording of the deposition Levi Chavez gave in the civil case. The other half of Heather Chavezs wish never came to pass. Through witness testimony, the public learned that Chavez had been having a number of affairs while married to Tera Chavez. A month after Tera Chavezs death, her husband was placed on leave at the Albuquerque Police Department as the investigation into her death continued, KOAT reported. I did. Levi Chavez Verdict In New Mexico 'Casanova Cop' Case Delivered Throughout the trial, Levi Chavez steadfastly asserted his innocence and continues to do so. "I don't feel like speaking for his future.". Dateline: Unforgettable's upcoming episode, in a re-broadcast, will cover the story of Tera Chavez's tragic death while also narrating the heated and controversial trial of her cop husband, Levi Chavez. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . 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 is a former Albuquerque, NM Police Officer who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26yearold wife, Tera Chavez. LIVE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY LZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS.. COUNT ON KOAT-DOT-COM FOR. He has full custody of his two children, according to Tera's parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. Now her parents speak to News 13. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. Under often-contentious cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener that bordered on combative, Heather Chavez conceded that October 2007 wasnt the first time she had ever spoken to Levi Chavez. Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate one side saying the program is expected to University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what their health needs are' in order to prioritize resources. City questions prominent non-profit's hire of ex-cop who was - KRQE I knew Id be acquitted. Serna on Thursday spent two and a half hours cross-examining Citizen. Dateline Unforgettable: Is Tera Chavez's cop husband Levi Chavez guilty The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Following a couple of years of preparation, he applied to be a lawyer and was accepted into the University of New Mexico Law School, entering class of 2016, where he apparently specialized in criminal law. State District Judge George P. Eichwald instructed the two to Quit arguing back and forth like kids.. "What did I tell you?" Serna told Chavez. Hugo Chavez's Women: The Ex Wives And Mistresses Who Loved - HuffPost But, in the end, after two days of deliberation, because of a lack of physical evidence linking him to Teras death, or something that even concretely proved that it was a homicide, Levi, who was facing life in prison, was acquitted of all charges. But the disgraced former. Tera Chavezs mother, Theresa Cordova, said her daughter was an artist, according to a feature on Chavezs life in Alibi. THE DEFENSE REVEALED TERA CALLED AT LEAST EIGHT NUMBERS ON THAT LIST-- INCLUDING HEATHER IN SEPTEMBER 2007. In October of 2007, Tera, a mother of two, allegedly shot and killed herself at the couple's home while their children were at a family member's house. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Levi Chavez. Levi Chavez came back the following week and did exactly that. Obituary | Levi Chavez | Rogers Mortuary Inc. As week three of the Levi Chavez murder trial wound down prosecutors started playing up another possible motive for him to kill his wife Tera. ", First published on July 17, 2013 / 10:40 AM. 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. INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious INVESTIGATION - ABQjournal Metro: Death Now Called Suspicious. 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. Levi has undergraduate degrees from UNM and CNM, as well as a law degree from the UNM School of Law. "He's got several plans in the works," Serna said. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavezs Husband Today? Levi had spent the night at his current girlfriend's house. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. Levi Chavez alleged malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, defamation, and outrageous conduct, according to court documents. 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. I told you guys that from the beginning. The pair met when they were just teenagers starting high school, and soon, they got into a serious relationship. Ex-New Mexico Cop Levi Chavez Acquitted of Wife's Murder - Newsmax 'What did I tell you?' By abqjournal. We always thought, Hell take care of her.'. I did WE ALSO LEARNED TODAY THAT UNDERNEATH THE MATTRESS ON WHICH TERA CHAVEZ WAS FOUND DEAD WAS A CALL LOG FROM LEVI'S CELL PHONE. Levi Chavez - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia 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. Heavy reached out to the university for more information about his admittance but did not immediately hear back. The donut shop has announced it has closed its South Valley and Northeast Heights locations. They also werent allowed to watch video of that deposition. "Dateline NBC" The Officer's Wife (TV Episode 2013) - IMDb [3], The night prior to the death of his wife Tera, Levi had spent the night at his girlfriend's house. Levi Chavez and Tera Chavez. The trial revealed a crumbling marriage that was. Jones was one of the first officers on the scene and a lead detective on the case. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Published: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Friday, June 28th, 2013 at 2:03PM. Levi Chavez, ex-New Mexico police officer, acquitted of wife's murder 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. WE ALSO LEARNED FRIDAY THAT HEATHER-WENT TO TERA CHAVEZ'S FUNERAL. 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. 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 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. Derek Chauvin's personal history: About his ex-wife, stepchildren, past Tera Chavez Biography: Levi Chavez Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife - Wali Kali Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. 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. The call did not go to voicemail. Im innocent. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Detective Jones, who suspected that Levi Chavez had murdered his wife eighteen to twenty hours before he . The case made national news when Officer Chavez's sexual history became known, including affairs with fellow police officers, and that he spent the night before his wife was killed with his current girlfriend. For Tera Chavez, Levi was her high school sweetheart, husband, and the entire world. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Levi Chavez has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova, Alibi reported. 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 investigators reportedly presumed that he attempted to cover up the crime as a suicide. It looks like Chavez is now working for a nonprofit that provides emergency and permanent housing to homeless individuals. Facebook 2023 by Fashionuer. Dateline: The Officer's Wife - Truth, Justice, and All-American Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a congratulatory hug from his attorney David Serna on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, in Bernalillo, N.M., after a jury acquitted him of murder and tampering with evidence charges in the 2007 death of his estranged wife, Tera Chavez. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light . The morning of October 22, 2007, he allegedly returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, New Mexico, where he discovered the body of his wife. He also told her she should have more information., I listened, Heather Chavez said about the interview. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. By that time, though, their marriage was already crumbling apart as Levi was having affairs with several women, many of whom he worked with on the police force. M.E. The police re-opened their investigation in March of 2010 and charged Levi with her death on April 20, 2011. 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. Serna will begin his cross-examination of Heather Chavez this afternoon. 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. He told the operator she killed herself and that he hadnt said anything because He thought she needed time.. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. She didnt leave them., When she was just 15 years old, Tera met Levi Chavez and became pregnant with his child, Alibi reported. The city of Albuquerque already has paid Tera's family $230,000 to settle claims against it and its police department in the civil case. The OTHER side of the law: Former Albuquerque police officer Levi Chavez seen here in his mugshot after allegedly murdering his wife. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. During his trial, he was found not guilty of first-degree murder and was acquitted of the charges. THE TEXTS DIDN'T STOP THERE ANOTHER, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, FROM HEATHER TO LEVI SAYING HE WAS HER REASON TO EXIST. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. May 1, 2008. Where Are Tera Chavez's Parents Now? - The Cinemaholic Breaking News: Levi Chavez found NOT GUILTY of all charges in the death of Tera Chavez in 2007. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. According to the prosecution, she was on the verge of filing a complaint against him for fraudulent activity. Earlier Thursday, the fourth of Levi Chavezs many paramours to testify in the murder trial took the stand.