A man who recently resigned from the Tucumcari, New Mexico, Police Department is the subject of an investigation into several arson fires last month, reported the Quay County Sun, including those that destroyed the long-closed Payless Inn on Route 66 and the closed Tucumcari Motel on old U.S. 54.
Dustin Lopez quit the force the day after New Mexico State Police conducted a search of his home, including seizing his cell phone. Four other people also are implicated in the investigation, reported the newspaper.
Some interesting things from the investigation are revealed in an affidavit, according to the Sun:
— State police received information there was evidence on Lopez’s cell phone connecting him and four other men with a series of arson fires set in Tucumcari in September.
— Investigators said they were told there were pictures of a building burning that they believed to be the Tucumcari Inn. There were also collaborating statements from additional witnesses implicating Lopez in arsons that occurred in the city. The four others are implicated as well.
— A witness told state police he was at a drinking party on Sept. 3 with Lopez and the others and someone came up with the idea to burn a vacant house in the 500 block of North Fourth Street.
— The next morning, the witness said, he saw a text message sent to one of the five men that included photos of the Tucumcari Inn burning the same night as the vacant house. The witness told investigators the person receiving the text turned to him and said, “You never thought you would be burning down houses with cops.”
Tucumcari Police say Lopez didn’t give a reason for his resignation.
UPDATE 10/30/2014: The former officer officially was charged Tuesday with arson and conspiracy to commit arson, according to the Quay County Sun. Four other people have been implicated in the state police investigation, including two charged.
State police received information there was evidence on Lopez’s cell phone connecting him and four others with a series of arson fires set in Tucumcari in September.
Investigators said they were told there were pictures of a building burning that they believed to be the Tucumcari Inn.
There were also collaborating statements from additional witnesses implicating Lopez in arsons that occurred in the city.