Suspect in church shooting now faces additional charges tied to attempted gun store burglary
Las Cruces police say a man accused of firing at St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church now faces additional felony charges tied to an attempted gun store burglary and a suspicious device found at his home.
Las Cruces police say investigators linked Matthew Albian Alarcon to both the May 4 shooting at St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church and a later attempted burglary at Miller Guns and Ammo
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - A Las Cruces man accused of firing a handgun at a downtown Catholic church earlier this month now faces additional felony charges tied to an attempted gun store burglary and a suspicious device recovered from his home, according to Las Cruces police.
Matthew Albian Alarcon, 40, is accused in the May 4 shooting that damaged St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church at 100 S. Espina St. Police said surveillance video showed a man parking a dark-colored sedan outside the church about 4:30 a.m., exiting the vehicle and firing a handgun toward the building.
The gunfire damaged two areas of the church. The church was unoccupied and no injuries were reported.
Police said investigators later linked the vehicle used in the church shooting to an attempted burglary at Miller Guns and Ammo on north Telshor Boulevard on May 11.
According to LCPD, an officer spotted Alarcon and 36-year-old Juan Manuel Garcia shortly after midnight on May 11 while they were near a vehicle outside the gun store. Police said officers determined the two men were planning to burglarize the business.
Investigators said a search of the vehicle uncovered tools and other items they believe were intended for use in the burglary attempt. Officers also recovered a handgun that police said had previously been reported stolen.
Police executed a search warrant at Alarcon’s home on May 19 and recovered what investigators described as a suspicious object containing components commonly used in an incendiary device. The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad responded and collected the device for further investigation.
Alarcon was arrested May 14. He now faces felony charges including desecration of a church, receiving a stolen firearm, tampering with evidence, possession of burglary tools, attempted non-residential burglary and two conspiracy counts.
Police said LCPD is working with federal partners on possible additional charges.
Garcia was arrested May 17 and faces felony charges of attempted non-residential burglary and two conspiracy counts.
Alarcon was scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing on May 20 and will initially remain held without bond, according to police.
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