A Cuarteles man whose death was originally reported to be a suspected overdose died instead of a medical condition, according to the state Office of the Medical Investigator.
The body of Anthony Fernandez, 26, was found Dec. 2, 2008, by his father in his Albuquerque apartment. His father had become concerned after not hearing from him for several days, according to an Albuquerque Police report.
Fernandez’s father told police his son had no major health concerns but had recently been depressed, the report states. Fernandez’s friend and neighbor Jason Silva told police he saw Fernandez put a brown liquid in his eyes with an eyedropper.
Office records technician Anthony Cervantes told the SUN at the time that Fernandez died of a suspected overdose because some drugs were found at the scene, including brown liquid in an eyedropper. The Office issued an autopsy report Jan. 29 with the opinion that Fernandez died of cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart) due to hypertension and obesity. A moderate amount of alcohol that may be partly or completely due to changes in the body because of decomposition was recorded in Fernandez’s toxicology test results, but no drugs of abuse were found in the screening.
Office spokesman Rebecca Montoya has since denied Cervantes ever provided information about drugs being at the scene or the opinion that Fernandez’s death was suspected to be caused by an overdose.
SUN Staff Report
An Española man recently released from Rio Arriba County Jail died of a suspected drug overdose Sunday, according to Española Police.
Eric R. Martinez, 42, was found unresponsive on the floor of his sister’s McCurdy Road trailer around 11 a.m. the day of his death, according to dispatch logs and Sgt. Richard Gallegos.
“He had a fresh needle track on his arm that pretty much told us, ‘I think this guy overdosed,’” Gallegos said, “But of course it’s not confirmed until the toxicology results come in.”
A loaded syringe was found behind a couch near Martinez’s body, Gallegos said.
Martinez had been in custody at the Jail until Feb. 19 after he was picked up Jan. 12 on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of trafficking a controlled substance, according to Gallegos and an online court records database.
A bruise on Martinez’s forehead suggested he was sitting in a chair when he injected, slumped over, fell and hit his head, Gallegos said.
SUN Staff Report
Seven additional attorneys have applied to the state District Court judge vacancy in Tierra Amarilla after Gov. Bill Richardson requested more names from a nominating commission.
The Judicial Nominating Commission interviewed the six original applicants and recommended only one, Española lawyer Sheri Raphaelson, to Richardson for possible appointment to the judgeship. Richardson requested the Commission solicit new applicants. The Commission has until Thursday (2/26) to make new nominations.
The District Court vacancy was created by the departure of former District Court judge Timothy Garcia, who was appointed by Richardson to fill one of three vacancies on the state Court of Appeals. Richardson has until March 28 to choose an appointee. The position pays an annual salary of $111,631. The appointee will be up for election in a bipartisan election in 2010.
The seven new applicants are: Santa Fe attorney and former congressional candidate Marco Gonzales, Santa Fe public defender Damian Horne, Santa Fe attorney Michael Jones, Española attorney Kathleen Kentish Lucero, Santa Fe lawyer and former Town of Taos attorney Dennis Manazanares, Santa Fe attorney and Española Valley Abstract Director Francis Mathew and Santa Fe attorney Sarah Singleton.
Backgrounds on each applicant can be found at www.riograndesun.com.