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On December 14, 2024, a quadruple homicide in Belen, New Mexico, left an entire family dead. Sixteen-year-old Diego Leyva is accused of fatally shooting his parents and two brothers inside their home before calling 911 to report the killings, shocking the local community and drawing national attention.
Responding deputies found Leyva outside the home, visibly intoxicated and surrendering without resistance. Inside, officers discovered four victims deceased from gunshot wounds. A handgun believed to have been used in the killings was recovered from the kitchen table.
Investigators determined that all four victims were killed within the home during the early morning hours. Evidence suggested the shootings were carried out in quick succession. Statements made by Leyva indicated possible hallucinations or altered mental state, including claims that a voice instructed him to kill his family. Authorities also noted his extreme intoxication at the time of arrest, raising questions about substance use as a contributing factor. The case remains under investigation as officials evaluate psychological, environmental, and situational factors.