The Case of the Family Murders by Diego Leyva

Leonardo Leyva, Adriana Bencomo and their teenage sons Adrian and Alexander were found shot dead at their family home near Belen, New Mexico, on 14 December 2024. Sixteen-year-old Diego Leyva allegedly called 911 and told authorities he had killed his family before surrendering to deputies. He was subsequently charged with four counts of first-degree murder.

Diego Leyva was 16 years old when four members of his immediate family were killed at their home on Camino Escondido in the Belen area of Valencia County, New Mexico. The victims were Diego's father, Leonardo Leyva, 42; his mother, Adriana Bencomo, 35; his older brother, Adrian Leyva, 17; and his younger brother, Alexander Leyva, 14. New Mexico State Police later confirmed all four identities. Adriana was known within the local community for her service as a volunteer firefighter with the Rio Communities Fire Department. During the early hours of 14 December 2024, the Valencia County Sheriff's Office received an extraordinary 911 call from Diego. At approximately 3:30 a.m., the teenager allegedly told the dispatcher that he had killed his family. Deputies immediately travelled to the residence. When officers arrived, Diego emerged from the house with his hands raised and surrendered without resistance. Police described him as extremely intoxicated. Deputies then entered the family home and discovered Leonardo, Adriana, Adrian and Alexander deceased inside. Each appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.

The family's residence on Camino Escondido became the scene of the quadruple homicide investigation. Inside the house, deputies discovered all four members of the family dead from suspected gunshot wounds. A handgun was located on the kitchen table and secured as evidence. New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents and Crime Scene Team personnel subsequently took responsibility for processing the residence and gathering physical evidence. Because Diego was immediately taken into custody and investigators were still reconstructing what occurred inside the home, authorities did not initially release a detailed sequence of the shootings or publicly establish a motive.

The Valencia County Sheriff's Office initially responded to the residence following Diego's own 911 call. After he surrendered, Diego was transported to an area hospital because of his level of intoxication. He underwent detoxification and was medically cleared before being transferred to the Juvenile Justice Center in Albuquerque at approximately 1:00 a.m. on 15 December. The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau assumed responsibility for the quadruple homicide investigation. Investigators began processing the residence, conducting interviews and attempting to establish the events that preceded the shootings. Diego was charged with four open counts of first-degree murder, one relating to each deceased family member. Because he was only 16 when the killings occurred, his age became an important factor in how the case would proceed through New Mexico's justice system. Authorities stated that the completed investigation would be presented to prosecutors for further criminal proceedings.

Diego Leyva was taken into custody following the deaths and charged with four open counts of first-degree murder. He was initially treated at a hospital for intoxication before being booked into the Juvenile Justice Center in Albuquerque. As Diego was a juvenile at the time of the alleged offences, the case differs significantly from a conventional adult quadruple-murder prosecution. The killings themselves and Diego's alleged responsibility remain matters for the criminal justice system to determine. At the time of the latest information available for this case file, no final murder convictions or sentence have been confirmed. Diego should therefore be regarded as accused rather than convicted of murdering his family.