Her twin brother described her as a strong woman and a loving mother. After investigations revealed secrets involving an unhappy marriage, tangled love affairs, and a web of lies, it was Levi who came under the microscope for Teras alleged murder and the subsequent cover-up. Levi Chavez's current wife, Heather Chavez, took the stand Friday.She detailed the development of the pair's relationship following the death of Levi Chavez's former wife, Tera. Dr. Chavez works in Albuquerque, NM and 1 other location and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Tera Chavez was found dead of a gunshot wound and while her death was initially ruled a suicide, her husband was eventually charged with her murder. Her husband Levi Chavez, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, was the one who called 911 and told them shed committed suicide. She knew every single secret about me no matter what. Chavez also had a younger brother, Aaron. All Rights Reserved. Levi Chavez was working at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department when he was arrested in 2011, but it wasnt until two years later, in 2013, that he stood trial for the charges against him. Jones also told her that Levi Chavez had numerous affairs while he was married to Tera, but according to Keeners characterization of Heather Chavezs previous statements, she wasnt interested. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. Not among them was APD officer Steve Hindi, to whom Heather was married at the time. Levi Chavez, a 26-year-old officer with the Albuquerque, New Mexico Police Department, at nine o'clock on the night of October 21, 2007, called 911 to report that his wife had committed suicide with his department-issued Glock 9 pistol. WE ALSO LEARNED FRIDAY THAT HEATHER-WENT TO TERA CHAVEZ'S FUNERAL. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I knew Id be acquitted. The case made national headlines in 2013 as more details came to light about the case and about Levi Chavez' personal life. Heavy reached out to the university for more information about his admittance but did not immediately hear back. The pair met when they were just teenagers starting high school, and soon, they got into a serious relationship. It appears that Chavez is now working for a non-profit organization called Heading Home that gives emergency housing and permanent housing support to people who are homeless in New Mexico, according to their website. Now her parents speak to News 13. The Levi Chavez verdict came after a five-week trial and a six-year investigation that put the 32-year-old former police officer on trial for the October 2007 shooting death of his wife in their home near Los Lunas, New Mexico. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. BERNALILLO Its impossible to say based on cellphone records where Levi Chavez was for 15 hours near the end of the three-day period during which prosecutors say he killed his wife in 2007, according to a cellphone company analyst who testified Thursday in the former APD officers murder trial. Over the next several months, detectives began digging into Levi Chavezs story and the investigation eventually deemed her death a homicide. I wasnt worried.. Do not sell or share my personal information. Levi had spent the night at his current girlfriend's house. Yet, with no proof of the former, he couldnt be charged or arrested for fraud. In the 6-week-long court hearing, there were testimonies from police officers, pathologists, the women Levi had affairs with, as well as Teras family. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. Josh Mankiewicz reports Friday, November . Where is he today? Mr. Levi Chavez was born and raised in New Mexico and has a military and law enforcement background. You could pretty much put her through the wringer, and shed still love you like it never happened. Chavez still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Tera Chavez. THE WOMEN NEVER DID MEET. 'He's got several plans in the works,' Serna said. New Mexico, 2007: Tera Chavez, a police officer's wife, is found shot dead in the mouth of an apparent suicide. During his trial, he was found not guilty of first-degree murder and was acquitted of the charges. 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 . At the age of just 15, Tera became pregnant with their first child, Andrea, and although she stayed with her parents raising the baby for the next few years, Levi was with her whenever possible. Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening tour, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. ", As the murder case gained more attention from the media and public, Chavez and the Albuquerque Police Department became the targets of heavy scrutiny. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Chavez was tried in 2013 for murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife Tera Chavez. Your login session has expired. 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. Tera Chavez moved to Virginia to be with her husband after graduating, as hed been posted there with the Coast Guard and the young woman was soon pregnant again with their second 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. "I don't feel like speaking for his future.". Chavez was accepted at the University of New Mexico Law School and began studying for his degree in 2016, where he specialized in criminal law, according to Cinemaholic. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. THE DEFENSE REVEALED TERA CALLED AT LEAST EIGHT NUMBERS ON THAT LIST-- INCLUDING HEATHER IN SEPTEMBER 2007. Levi started working for Heading Home in 2015. And did you have intimate relations at 11 ash place in 07? We always thought, Hell take care of her.'. state calls heather chavez : IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE PROSECUTION TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THE PERSONAL DETAILS OF APD DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI'S BLOSSOMING RELATIONSHIP WITH RECENT WIDOWER LEVI CHAVEZ IN 2007.' He was accused of murdering his wife by the victim's family and one of the detectives working the case and was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 2013 after being found not guilty by a jury. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. 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. 'I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary,' Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. Their additional three locations remain open. Play it now! On the morning of Oct. 22, 2007, Levi said he came home in Los Lunas and found his wife dead in bed from a gunshot to her mouth. She didnt leave them., When she was just 15 years old, Tera met Levi Chavez and became pregnant with his child, Alibi reported. Facebook Homeowner finds gruesome animal skeleton hidden behind cupboard for 30 years - so can you guess what it is? Prosecutors had sought to keep from jurors what Serna described in explicit detail as sexual photographs and videos Tera had taken of herself and sent to Levi. Tera Chavez. The court also heard that Hindi had been texting Levi Chavez just three weeks after his wifes death and suggesting that the two get married. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. 'Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it.'. "There never was a case against Levi Chavez," Serna said. LIVE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY LZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS.. COUNT ON KOAT-DOT-COM FOR. Right. [1] you were talking about yourself, and you were talking about possibly marrying him bc his name was chavez, and you wanted to go to homicide. On the night of Oct. 21, 2007, the lives of one couple from Los Lunas, New Mexico were changed forever. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. I didnt do anything wrong.. Serna said his client was a victim of an overly aggressive former detective and 'lies' from local media outlets, although none reported Serna ever requesting for a retraction or correction from any stories since 2007. Im innocent. Would love your thoughts, please comment. "Justice was not served," Joseph Cordova, the father of Tera Chavez, said after listening to the verdict with his wife. . Chavez was eventually charged with first-degree murder and obstructing justice, responding to which he entered a not guilty plea and, to date, asserts his innocence. He. The former officer, clenching a Rosary, immediately embraced his attorney, David Serna. The Officer's Wife Dateline NBC True Crime Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher When police officer Levi Chavez finds his wife, Tera, shot to death in their home, an investigation into her murder begins as buried secrets are revealed. Powered by. The records also show that following the end of the shift at midnight, the phone was in the far Northeast Heights, near the home of a fellow APD officer with whom Chavez was having an affair. Please logout and login again. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. ROYALE, LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER TERA CHAVEZ DIED-THEN A-P-D DETECTIVE HEATHER HINDI WAS ALREADY TEXTING LEVI ABOUT HER NAME BECOMING HEATHER CHAVEZ INDICATING SHE WANTED TO MARRY HIM. He immediately called the police, who, looking at the crime scene, ruled it suicide. According to reports, he is now the husband of APD Detective Heather. 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. Isabel Wilkerson Husband: How Many Marriages She Did? Accused: Prosecutors have depicted Levi Chavez as a philanderer whose marriage was crumbling, and say he killed his wife after she found out he had staged the theft of his pickup truck to collect the insurance proceeds. "Please tell them to hurry!" the 26-year-old can be heard saying in his 911 call, PEOPLE reported. Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says. However, the case took a shocking turn after some disturbing facts came to the surface. He has full custody of his two children, according to Tera's parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. 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's got several plans in the works," Serna said. Previous Post Japanese models have always been admired for their skills as well as their beauty. Heather Chavez said that, despite the appearance given in the text she sent Levi about taking his last name and more than 400 calls between the two from Oct. 8, 2007 to Dec. 12 of that year they did not begin a sexual relationship until late November or early December.. The morning of 22 October 2007, he returned to the couple's home in Los Lunas, NM where he . / CBS News. Following the verdict, emotional family members of Tera Chavez were quickly escorted out of Sandoval District Court, the result of an edict from state District Judge George Eichwald who sought to ease tensions between the two families. Shed never leave them of her own will. Levi Chavez was charged with the murder of his wife, Tera, but he has maintained his innocence and said she committed suicide. Heather Chavezs statement in court today was that the couple only kissed in the car. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Chavez, 32, of murdering his depressed wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's . 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. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavezs Husband Today? Levi has undergraduate degrees from UNM and CNM, as well as a law degree from the UNM School of Law. A former cop was acquitted on Tuesday of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun after a month-long trial that has revealed secrets of affairs and alleged corruption within an Albuquerque police force. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. He has full custody of his two children, according to Teras parents Joseph and Theresa Cordova. Current wife insists she never spoke with Tera Chavez Recommended Stories CinemaBlend Viral TikTok Shows Off Moment JLo's Face Filter Fails And Some Of Her Wrinkles Are Exposed Jennifer Lopez. 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. Levi Chavez Found 43 people in New Mexico, Arizona and 24 other states. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. In August 2013, Chavez was acquitted of the murder charges. July 31, 2015 - Former APD officer Levi Chavez has been admitted to the UNM Law School. He told reporters, Im not surprised at all. Aug 19, 2008 . Levi and Tera Chavez were high school sweethearts who married young and were raising two children together. For Tera Chavez, Levi was her high school sweetheart, husband, and the entire world. 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. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. Breaking News: Levi Chavez found NOT GUILTY of all charges in the death of Tera Chavez in 2007. Fashionuer.com participates in many affiliate marketing programs & sponsored content which means we get paid commissions on products purchased through our links to retail websites. . She had a twin brother, named Josh, who said, She was my lifeline. I didnt speak with her.. 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. Payton Gendron: Why Payton Gendron Got Arrested? 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. 'I took her for granted.'. 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. They werent told that tens of instances in which Levi Chavezs attorneys asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had been excised from the deposition. But I didnt see them, she said, adding later that she also didnt see any items that looked like they had belonged to Tera. At first, her death was believed to be a suicide, but an investigation turned up some information about Levi Chavezs life that made them look deeper into the case. That treatment included sexual relationships with four different women and constant breakups that began with way back when the couple were high school students. Freed: Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a hug from his wife Heather Chavez after being acquitted of his first wife's murder, Relief: Chavez hugs his attorney David Serna in Sandoval District Court in Bernalillo, New Mexico on Tuesday. In 2000, they tied the knot and moved to Virginia, where Levi was working as a Coast Guard. The police re-opened their investigation in March of 2010 and charged Levi with her death on April 20, 2011. Indeed, the records appeared to show that Levi Chavezs cellphone was in Valencia County early on Oct. 19 and that he was on Albuquerques West Side, where he was working a swing shift for APD, later that day. Serna said his client was a victim of an overly aggressive former detective and "lies" from local media outlets, although none reported Serna ever requesting for a retraction or correction from any stories since 2007. The upcoming episode of Dateline Unforgettable will premiere at 8.00 pm ET on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. While there isn't an official wife, the second of Hugo Chavez's four children, 29 year-old Maria Gabriela, plays the role of First Lady of the . Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want to return to the state's largest police department. Much of the trial centered on allegations that Albuquerque police officers who responded to the Chavez home in nearby Los Lunas removed and even flushed key evidence down a toilet. Police officer Levi Chavez called 911 in 2007 to report that hed come home to find his wife deceased of a headshot wound. Heavy reached out to UNM for additional information about Chavezs admission status; however, we did not receive a response by press time. He told the operator she killed herself and that he hadnt said anything because He thought she needed time.. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle, Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate, Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what. 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. I didnt do anything wrong, KOAT reported. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. After Garleys testimony, Serna and Keener argued for more than 45 minutes outside the presence of the jury about which of the cellphone data examined by an FBI analyst should be shown to the jury. when did the romantic relationship start? The OTHER side of the law: Former Albuquerque police officer Levi Chavez seen here in his mugshot after allegedly murdering his wife. That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. I told you guys that from the beginning. It appears that his wife, now known as Heather Chavez, is a detective with the Farmington Police Department. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. It took two years following Chavezs arrest for the trial to move forward due to delays from civil trials, motion hearings and the trial having to move venues, according to KOAT. 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 . Detective Jones, who suspected that Levi Chavez had murdered his wife eighteen to twenty hours before he . The trial for a man accused of killing his wife while he was an Albuquerque cop and then trying to cover it up started Monday. The other half of Heather Chavezs wish never came to pass. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. After gaining back his freedom, Levi Chavez decided that he wanted to change his career but still be in the justice system. Chavez called 911 to report the alleged suicide around 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007. Chavez was placed on leave at the police department where he worked and eventually, on April 7, 2011, he was arrested and charged with his wifes murder, KOAT reported. Levi found Tera shot dead in their. BERNALILLO, N.M. 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. Chavez is a former Albuquerque Police Department officer, accused of killing his wife at their Los Lunas home in 2007. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. The records show roughly the same pattern for Oct. 20: Levi Chavezs cellphone was on the West Side during the hours of the swing shift, then in the Heights shortly thereafter. Tera, a four-year-old girl, died in August 2017 when her car seat was too full of pillows and blankets while she was strapped into it. Levi Chavez is a former Albuquerque, NM Police Officer who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26yearold wife, Tera Chavez. 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. The Harwood Museum of Art's exhibition 'Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy' explores this history through archival photographs and contemporary art. In July 2013, Levi Chavez was found not guilty of first-degree murder. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help.