AG Balderas Announces El Malpais Murderer to Stay in Prison

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2017

Contact: James Hallinan (505) 660-2216

Cibola County, NM – Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that Bryce Franklin will stay in prison for the 2012 murder of Fernando Enriquez after the Supreme Court agreed with the Office of the Attorney General and affirmed his convictions. The evidence at trial showed that Franklin and an associate brought Enriquez to El Malpais National Monument, where Franklin shot him and pushed his body into a collapsed lava tube. State Police discovered Enriquez’s body and charged Franklin with First Degree Murder.

“Working with our local district attorneys to keep the most dangerous, violent offenders behind bars and away from our families remains our top priority,” Attorney General Hector Balderas said. “We are grateful for the work of the State Police and the Thirteenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office in securing a conviction in this heinous case.”

The Thirteenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted the case and Franklin was sentenced to life in prison plus seven and one half years. Franklin appealed his convictions, but today the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that Franklin’s right to a speedy trial was not violated. The Office of the Attorney General Criminal Appeals Division handled the appeal for the State.

Please see attached for a photo of Franklin and the Supreme Court decision.

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