Oct. 22—Santa Fe police investigators are diligently reviewing surveillance video and pursuing potential leads in the brutal assault of a young woman that took place last month outside her apartment building in the Hopewell Mann neighborhood.
Nineteen-year-old Valicity Lazoya was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital after being discovered unconscious in a pool of blood in the parking lot at Sangre de Cristo Apartments. According to a police report, she had severe bleeding from her right ear and a swollen face. An officer noted that she was struggling to breathe and had sustained significant head injuries.
Despite the passage of nearly a month, authorities have yet to identify any suspects related to the case.
“By examining the video footage, we hope to determine the time of her arrival at the scene, as well as the exact moment of the attack,” stated Lt. Jimmy Montoya during a recent interview. “Did someone lie in wait for her? Was there a single assailant or more than one?”
Anita Vargas, a caregiver for a resident of the complex, discovered Lazoya late on the night of September 22 when she was leaving her client’s home. Vargas swiftly called 911, responding to what she described as “a horrific scene.”
In a previous interview, Vargas explained that Lazoya’s mother had informed her that the young woman was in an induced coma and that they were awaiting a reduction in swelling before attempting to speak with her.
Police Captain Aaron Ortiz confirmed on Friday that Lazoya’s condition has now stabilized.
Lazoya’s mother did not respond to requests for comment.
According to Vargas, she was in the parking lot of Sangre de Cristo Apartments at approximately 10:15 p.m. on September 22, taking out the trash for her client, when she noticed nothing out of the ordinary. However, when she returned outside around 11:30 p.m. to leave for the night, she caught sight of Lazoya out of the corner of her eye.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if it was her, but then I realized it was and that she was injured,” Vargas shared. “I panicked and called 911. I could see that she was in a lot of pain. As someone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, I was truly shocked.”
Officers were dispatched to the scene at 11:34 p.m., as stated in the police report.
Vargas claimed that she waited approximately 22 minutes for five officers to arrive, and another five minutes passed before they allowed an ambulance to respond.
Vargas also recounted finding Lazoya’s phone and wallet near her body, emphasizing that “nothing was stolen.”
According to the police report, Vargas handed the officers several of Lazoya’s personal belongings, including her driver’s license tucked inside her cellphone case. This led to the victim’s identification, although she was wearing medical scrubs at the time.
As Lazoya was being prepared for transportation to a local hospital, an individual living in a nearby apartment approached the police and claimed to have seen a woman in the parking lot earlier, noting that she “appeared upset but unhurt.”
The person explained that they observed this while walking to their vehicle to complete a Door Dash delivery. Upon returning, they discovered Lazoya bleeding on the ground, as detailed in the police report.
Nonetheless, Ortiz revealed on Friday that the police have since disproven the individual’s assertion that Lazoya was attempting to open the trunk of a white Nissan Altima, which was parked in the lot. The authorities have identified the owner of the vehicle and ruled out any involvement in the attack.
The police report mentions the presence of blood on both the rear trunk and quarter panel of the Nissan, as well as a bloody palm smudge on the front passenger window. A white Chrysler Town & Country van, parked next to the Nissan, had blood marks on the left rear bumper, along with what appeared to be a piece of hair and a blood mark on the bottom right rear window frame.
Neither of these vehicles belonged to Lazoya, as stated in the report. Officer Robert Metzgar noted that her silver Kia Soul was parked in the rear of the apartment complex, with no signs of blood present.
A brown shipping box was discovered to the left of the Nissan, containing two pairs of Air Jordan sneakers, according to the report. A bill of sale indicated that the shoes belonged to the victim.
As the investigation was coming to a close, a woman claiming to be Lazoya’s mother approached one of the patrol cars and inquired about the incident. Following notification of her daughter’s grave condition, the mother became distraught, as documented by Officer Robert Metzgar in his report.
Additionally, a resident of the complex informed the officers that he had a camera set up inside his apartment, facing in the general direction where Lazoya was found. Although he was unable to locate any useful footage when he tried to access it from his computer, he provided the camera’s SIM card to the police for further examination.
Vargas, who has been employed by the same client at the complex for around 10 years, expressed that she is not afraid to return but now exercises more caution.
“I’ve purchased a small stun gun to ensure my safety when I leave,” she stated. “The parking lot is just dark, and the atmosphere there doesn’t feel safe when you’re alone.”
She added, “I understand that Santa Fe is grappling with drug-related issues and problems surrounding the homeless population. However, when something like this occurs to a young individual such as Valicity, it motivates you to push for change. But it’s challenging to determine how best to support our community.
“My hope is that Valicity is able to recall something,” Vargas remarked.
Vargas urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist the police.
“It would mean a great deal to the family,” she emphasized. “At present, they lack any leads because nobody has come forward.”
