Homicide suspect, victim had ‘prior conflicts’
Accused shooter told New Mexico State Police slain man had raped his girlfriend
A man who allegedly killed a man at a gas station in Alcalde on Thanksgiving morning told New Mexico State Police the victim had raped his girlfriend, according to charging documents filed Monday in Rio Arriba magistrate court.
Timothy Lopez, 53, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting death of 58-year-old Thomas Derick Velarde, who is identified as Derick in court documents. Both men are from Velarde.
As of late Monday, Lopez’s preliminary hearing and conditions of release had not been set.
According to the affidavit for Lopez’s arrest, Lopez, owner of Wicked Kreations Winery in Velarde, pulled into La Tiendita gas station in Alcalde, north of Española, around 11:30 a.m.
Thursday to deliver wine. Witnesses and surveillance video show him exiting the vehicle and approaching Velarde, who was seated in a vehicle with another man, and the two start to argue.
The passenger riding with Velarde told police Lopez started banging on the driver’s window with a gun, and pointing it at Velarde and the passenger. The passenger jumped out and went inside the gas station. Just as he was entering the gas station, a gunshot rang out and he told the clerk to call 911.
In a statement to police, Lopez admitted approaching Veralde’s truck with his gun and told him to “face him like a man.” But Lopez said Velarde broke the window of his own truck with a knife, lunged at him and grabbed his gun, causing the firearm to go off.
“Timothy repeatedly referenced prior conflicts with Derick, particularly the fact that Derick had been accused of raping his girlfriend,” the affidavit said.
When State Police showed up, they found Velarde fatally shot in the head in his truck. Lopez surrendered with
out incident.
The girlfriend, who described herself as Lopez’s wife, told the Journal Saturday that she didn’t know what led to the shooting.
“My husband is a disabled war veteran and an incredibly kind person,” she said. “Our family is hurting right now not having him here. We are not only praying for my husband, but also for the family of the deceased.”