Opinion ID: 891688
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Evidence of a Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Text: {24} Defendant claims his conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder is not supported by substantial evidence because, again, he was not present at Elias Romero's shack when the agreement to kill Victim was likely formed. We review this claim for a sufficiency of the evidence. Sanders, 117 N.M. at 456, 872 P.2d at 874. {25} The gist of conspiracy under the statute is an agreement between two or more persons to commit a felony. State v. Deaton, 74 N.M. 87, 89, 390 P.2d 966, 967 (1964). In order to be convicted of conspiracy, the defendant must have the requisite intent to agree and the intent to commit the offense that is the object of the conspiracy. State v. Varela, 1999-NMSC-045, ¶ 42, 128 N.M. 454, 993 P.2d 1280. It is the agreement constituting the conspiracy which the statute punishes. State v. Gilbert, 98 N.M. 77, 81, 644 P.2d 1066, 1070 (Ct.App.1982). {26} That Defendant was not physically present at Elias Romero's shack has little bearing on whether he agreed to commit murder, because the State was not required to define the precise moment in time when Defendant entered into a conspiratorial agreement. A conspiracy may be established by circumstantial evidence. Generally, the agreement is a matter of inference from the facts and circumstances. State v. Ross, 86 N.M. 212, 214, 521 P.2d 1161, 1163 (Ct. App.1974). The agreement need not be verbal, but may be shown to exist by acts which demonstrate that the alleged co-conspirator knew of and participated in the scheme. State v. Trujillo, 2002-NMSC-005, ¶ 62, 131 N.M. 709, 42 P.3d 814. [T]he prosecutor need not prove that each defendant knew all the details, goals or other participants. United States v. Perez, 280 F.3d 318, 347 (3d Cir.2002). A review of the complete evidentiary record supports a jury finding that Defendant agreed to murder Victim, making it immaterial whether this agreement occurred before Trujillo and Tollardo returned to Anaya's home with Martinez or at some point later that evening.