Las Cruces man pleads guilty to beating former partner with baseball bat at Burn Lake
Kurtis Allan Dale pleads guilty to armed robbery and a baseball bat attack on his former partner at Burn Lake in Las Cruces. Sentencing is pending.
Kurtis Allan Dale, 42, admitted to armed robbery and aggravated battery just before his scheduled jury trial. Prosecutors are seeking a five-year sentence.
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - A 42-year-old Las Cruces man pleaded guilty Thursday to armed robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon against a household member after admitting he attacked his former partner with a baseball bat at Burn Lake last November.
Kurtis Allan Dale entered his plea Oct. 29, minutes before his scheduled jury trial, according to Third Judicial District Attorney Fernando Macias. Prosecutors say Dale admitted driving to Burn Lake on Nov. 20, 2025, intending to attack his former partner, who was sitting in a friend's vehicle in the parking lot.
Dale initially parked behind the vehicle, punctured its rear tires and left. He returned minutes later with two accomplices and a baseball bat, according to the district attorney's office.
Prosecutors said the accomplices held the victim down while Dale repeatedly struck the victim with the bat. After the victim fell to the ground, Dale struck another blow to the left side of the victim's head. The force of the attack broke the bat in half.
Dale then took the cellphone belonging to the victim's friend while holding part of the broken bat and fled.
A witness called police and checked on the victim, who was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
According to prosecutors, the victim feared Dale would return and went home, where they photographed their injuries before losing consciousness. The victim sought treatment at a hospital several days later and reported the attack to police.
When the charges were filed in April, Organ Mountain News reported that court records described a coordinated attack involving Dale and two women. The records also showed that the victim had obtained an emergency protective order in December 2025 following the assault.
"This was an extreme act of violence that left the victim seriously injured and afraid of further retaliation," Macias said. "No victim should have to live in fear of being attacked again. Our office remains committed to seeking justice on behalf of victims in our community."
Damien Willis
Two other defendants await trial
Two women accused of participating in the attack face separate criminal proceedings.
Jacklyn Garcia, 34, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Eufemia Villa, 34, is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Both are scheduled for trial Nov. 23, 2026, according to the district attorney's office. Their charges remain pending, and neither has been convicted in connection with the attack.
Deputy District Attorney Tomas Medina, who prosecuted Dale's case, credited the victim for reporting the assault despite fears of retaliation.
"We commend the victim for being brave enough to come forward and report the assault despite being in fear of retaliation," Medina said. "We also recognize the defendant's decision to plead guilty, allowing this case to move forward without putting the victim through trial."
Sentencing not yet scheduled
Dale has not yet been sentenced. Prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence, but a sentencing date has not been scheduled.
Medina prosecuted the case following an investigation by the Las Cruces Police Department.
