A teenager was arrested on murder charges after reporting the deaths of four family members at a New Mexico house on Saturday, according to officials.
The 16-year-old contacted 911 at 3:32 a.m. to report the killings near the small town of Belen, which is 33 miles south of Albuquerque, according to New Mexico State Police.
The adolescent, who was “extremely intoxicated,” fled a property and surrendered to arriving deputies with his hands raised, according to police.
Four people were found dead inside, along with a firearm on the kitchen table, according to police.
State police identified the adolescents and the victims; however, NBC News does not normally name juveniles accused of crimes.
The four people slain were 42, 35, 17, and 14. Their ties with one another and the suspect were not immediately clear, but police said he “told a dispatcher he had killed his family.”
On Monday, state police revised one victim’s age, which had previously been reported as 16, to 17.
Authorities did not provide any other information, including a probable motivation.
“New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents and Crime Scene Team are processing the scene and conducting interviews to learn what led up to these tragic events,” according to the organization.
The teen suspect was “medically cleared” at a hospital and put into the Juvenile Justice Center in Albuquerque early Sunday, according to police.
Police accused the defendant of four counts of first-degree murder.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jessica Martinez of the judicial district that includes Belen said the 16-year-old would most likely be charged as an adult because New Mexico law allows defendants aged 16 and 17 who are charged with first-degree murder to be tried in open criminal court without red tape.
It was not immediately clear if the suspect had legal representation. Public defenders in Albuquerque did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Source: A 16-year-old Kid is Accused of Killing Four Family Members at a New Mexico House