Police say Las Cruces man killed neighbor to avenge son’s death

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — Las Cruces police said a 71-year-old man acknowledged killing his son's neighbor as the victim sat in a vehicle outside his house, claiming he was avenging his son's death.

Edgar Segovia, 29, was found shot to death in his Las Cruces driveway over the weekend, and Santiago Rascon was later charged with first-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

Online court records did not list an attorney for Rascon who could comment on his behalf.

Rascon told authorities after his arrest that he believed Segovia, his son Emilio’s next-door neighbor, had something to do with Emilio’s death on July 4. Court documents do not detail how he died. Rascon said people living at Segovia’s home had harassed his son before his death, including calling animal control and law enforcement for welfare checks.

Rascon told police that he went to check on his grandchildren and their mother and got angry because he said their neighbors were writing down his license plate number.

Authorities said Rascon told them he went home to grab a gun, then returned and saw Segovia sitting in his vehicle. Rascon said he opened fire from outside the vehicle, according to police.

After the shooting, Rascon drove to his daughter's house and told her that he killed someone to avenge his son’s death, police said. His daughter called 911, and Rascon surrendered when officers arrived.

Segovia had graduated with a master’s in family and consumer sciences from New Mexico State University in May 2020. He had just started his path toward becoming a marriage and family therapist, said Marcel Montanez, an assistant professor in the school's Family and Consumer Sciences Department.

“His former classmates are devastated at his loss,” Montanez said.