Opinion ID: 2622743
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Murder of a Witness

Text: {12} A first degree murder becomes death eligible if the murder is of a witness to a crime or any person likely to become a witness to a crime, for the purpose of preventing report of the crime or testimony in any criminal proceeding. Section 31-20A-5(G); see also UJI 14-7023. To establish this aggravating factor at trial, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) the victim was a witness to a crime or was likely to become a witness to a crime, and (2) the defendant murdered the victim with the motive to prevent the victim from reporting the crime or testifying in a criminal proceeding. UJI 14-7023. The crime witnessed must be separate from the murder. Id. The key is the defendant's motive or reason for killing the victim. Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. At the pretrial Ogden stage, the issue is whether the State can show  probable cause to believe a jury could reasonably find that [the defendant] killed the victim as a witness. State v. Willis, 1997-NMSC-014, ¶ 18, 123 N.M. 55, 933 P.2d 854. {13} When ruling on the existence of probable cause that murder was committed for the purpose of silencing a witness, we bear in mind the legislative policy in enumerating a limited number of narrowly tailored aggravating circumstances. In creating these limited circumstances in Section 31-20A-5(B), our Legislature determined that murderers who kill witnesses to prevent them from testifying or reporting a separate crime, represent a narrowly tailored class. Narrowing the class of murders to which the death penalty applies, in part to those murders committed to avoid detection and arrest, withstands Eighth Amendment scrutiny and is therefore a constitutional application of the death penalty. Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. {14} In so narrowing this class of murderers, the Legislature, lest it run afoul of the Eighth Amendment, did not intend to cast a net wide enough to include every murder, or even every murder in which another crime occurs and the defendant later attempts to conceal involvement or avoid apprehension. See State v. Cleve, 1999-NMSC-017, ¶ 14, 127 N.M. 240, 980 P.2d 23 (stating that when enacting a statute, the Legislature is presumed to know the law). By definition, every murder involves a victim who is a potential witness. People v. Davis, 794 P.2d 159, 187 (Col. 1990). Moreover, in almost every murder, the killer makes some attempt to tamper with evidence and conceal his guilt. Constitutional narrowing requires more. {15} In this context, what distinguishes murders deserving of the death penalty is concrete evidence indicative of the murderer's intent at the time of the killing, something more than mere incidental efforts to avoid detection after the killing has already taken place. To satisfy Eighth Amendment scrutiny, our statute narrows the class of offenders to those whose specific intent or motivation for the killing is to silence a potential witness and prevent report of a crime. Id. (noting that focus on the purpose of the murder narrows the class of murders for which the aggravating circumstance applies); Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338; see also State v. Flores, 2004-NMSC-021, ¶ 16, 135 N.M. 759, 93 P.3d 1264 (stating the court construes a statute, if possible, so that it will be constitutional). Because the specific intent requirement is directed toward attendant circumstances of the crime, a defendant acts purposely when he is aware of the existence of such circumstances or he believes or hopes that they exist. 1 WAYNE R. LAFAVE, SUBSTANTIVE CRIMINAL LAW § 5.2 (2d ed. 2003). {16} To support the aggravating factor of silencing a witness to prevent the report of another crime, we have previously relied on such evidence as the defendant's own incriminating statements about killing to prevent testimony, prior crimes that are probative of the defendant's motive, and the lack of other plausible motives for the killing. State v. Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 79, 128 N.M. 482, 994 P.2d 728 (citing cases). Circumstantial evidence of intent surrounding the crimes may also be considered. See State v. Frank, 92 N.M. 456, 458, 589 P.2d 1047, 1049 (1979) (Intent is subjective and is almost always inferred from other facts in the case.); UJI 14-141, -201 (intent may be inferred from surrounding circumstances). The crime the victim witnessed must be separate from the murder; it must be a second, underlying crime serious enough that the defendant kills specifically to silence the victim and prevent the victim's report or testimony against him. Cf. UJI 14-7023 (requiring the crime the victim witnessed be a separate crime from the murder); State v. Treadway, 2006-NMSC-008; [1] State v. Smith, 1997-NMSC-017, ¶ 10, 123 N.M. 52, 933 P.2d 851. {17} Our cases concerning the evidence necessary to support the murder-of-a-witness aggravator represent a broad spectrum. [2] We analyze those cases as a guide to help determine where on this spectrum the two Tafoya murders fit. {18} On one end are those cases involving direct evidence of a killer's motive. Evidence of this type commonly involves incriminating statements by the killer that the victim was silenced to prevent report of an underlying crime. See Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 80 (stating defendant told wife he killed his rape victim to prevent her from reporting the rape); Coffin, 1999-NMSC-038, ¶ 49 (stating defendant told witness he killed the victim because the victim witnessed him killing another man); Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338 (stating defendant believed he could not let his rape victim go because that would be the end for him); cf. Smith, 1997-NMSC-017, ¶ 11 (indicating the defendant's motive to kill was the belief the victim was possessed by the devil and none of his statements indicated an intent to kill victim as a potential witness). {19} Although not as compelling as incriminating statements, a defendant's prior crimes may be strong circumstantial evidence of a motive to silence. See Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 80; Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. In Allen, the defendant had a prior conviction in which he threatened to kill one of the witnesses if she testified. 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 80. In Clark, the defendant had a prior conviction for kidnapping and rape in which the victim had supplied critical evidence against him. 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. Notably, these strong indicators of a witness-oriented motive, incriminating statements and prior convictions, are absent from this case. {20} At the other end of the spectrum are those cases in which the evidence is insufficient to satisfy the specific intent requirement of the statute. For example, in Treadway, [3] we held the evidence was insufficient to support the specific purpose of killing to prevent report of a crime. 2006-NMSC-008, ¶ 6. The defendant in that case shot a store clerk during a robbery as the clerk picked up a cue stick and the telephone. Id. This Court acknowledged the clerk's act of picking up the telephone supported an inference that the clerk may have intended to call the police. Id. at 5. Nonetheless, we noted the short period of time, only a few seconds, between when the clerk grabbed the phone and the defendant shot him, and the paucity of additional evidence of defendant's motive for the killing. Id. at 6. Despite evidence that the defendant subsequently took steps to conceal his identity and cover up his crimes, we concluded in Treadway that the evidence was insufficient to determine whether the clerk was killed to silence him. Id. {21} Somewhere in between these two polar opposites, Allen and Clark at one end and Treadway at the other, are those cases in which there is no direct evidence of the defendant's motive, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to allow the jury to decide if the aggravating factor is present. A prime example comes from the Willis case. In Willis, 1997-NMSC-014, ¶ 3, neighbors called police reporting yelling, scuffling, and a female crying from inside the victim's apartment. The police arrived two minutes later, but by then the house was quiet. Id. The victim was found dead in her apartment. Id. A neighbor told police he saw a man matching Willis's physical characteristics running from the alley behind the house. Id. The evidence indicated that Willis had gone to the victim's house to steal her supply of drugs and money, but not to kill her. Id. ¶ 7. There was also evidence that Willis was attempting to rob the victim, that she struggled with him and screamed loud enough to alert the neighbors, thereby leaving Willis only a short time in which to commit the murder before the police arrived. Id. The evidence suggested that Willis killed the victim to silence her as she attempted to report the crime by screaming. We found probable cause to proceed on the murder-of-a-witness aggravator. Id. ¶ 16. {22} While Willis was a close case, the circumstantial evidence that the victim was killed to silence her  she was a robbery victim, she screamed loud enough to alert the neighbors, and she was silent upon the quick arrival of the police  had a direct link to the requisite motive. Such a link was enough to establish probable cause that the case fit within the narrow circumstance in which our legislature has found the death penalty permissible. [4] {23} Another example of a case without direct evidence is our opinion in Henderson, 109 N.M. 655, 789 P.2d 603, overruled on other grounds by Clark v. Tansy, 118 N.M. 486, 882 P.2d 522 (1994), which represents the closest case to date. In that case, the defendant went to the victim's house apparently to engage in sexual intercourse. Id. at 657, 789 P.2d 605. Although he first denied it, Henderson ultimately admitted he raped the victim. Id. There was evidence of a struggle with the victim while Henderson severely beat and strangled her. Id. He attempted to wipe his fingerprints from the scene following the killing. Id. The next day, he went back to the victim's house, broke in, again tried to wipe fingerprints from the scene, and then turned on gas jets in an attempt to destroy the entire crime scene. Id. {24} On appeal, this Court unanimously concluded there was sufficient evidence of another aggravator, that the victim was intentionally killed in the commission of criminal sexual penetration. [5] However, in a sharply divided opinion, in which the majority changed from its original decision upon rehearing, [6] three justices held there was sufficient evidence that the victim was killed to silence her as a witness. Id. at 660, 789 P.2d at 608. The majority concluded there were only two plausible motives for the killing, to silence a witness or to overcome the resistance of the rape victim. Id. A combination of the lack of any other plausible motive, the defendant's extreme and repeated attempts to destroy evidence, and some, undefined other evidence in the record led the majority to conclude the evidence was sufficient. Id. {25} The State relies heavily upon Henderson in applying the murder-of-a-witness aggravating factor to both killings. It argues that probable cause is met because there are no other plausible motives for the killings, and Defendant attempted to destroy evidence and conceal his involvement in the crimes. We agree that Henderson is the closest case favoring affirmance on this issue. Although a second plausible motive existed for that killing  to overcome resistance to rape  the Henderson Court seemed to conclude that it was sufficient to prove: (a) the murder-of-a-witness motive was equally plausible, (b) other than those two, there were no other plausible motives, and (c) there were attempts to destroy evidence. The State asks us to construe Henderson to hold that this evidence would permit a jury to conclude the Tafoyas were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses. As noted above, however, in Henderson, this Court referred to other evidence in the record in concluding there was sufficient evidence to support the aggravating circumstance. See Henderson, 109 N.M. at 660, 789 P.2d at 608. {26} The State appears to cite to Henderson for a universal proposition that the murder-of-a-witness aggravator fits whenever there is no other plausible motive for the killing and there is evidence of concealment after the crime. This interpretation of Henderson arguably finds some support in our own precedent. See Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 79 (quoting Henderson as holding the aggravator was supported by the lack of any other plausible motive, together with the acts of the defendant in attempting to avoid detection by destroying evidence at the scene that would tie him [or her] to the crime); Smith, 1997-NMSC-017, ¶ 11 (In Henderson, the lack of any other plausible motive supported the State's theory that the defendant had murdered the victim to avoid detection of his rape of her.). In Allen, there was evidence the defendant attempted to avoid detection by disposing of the body in a remote location and cleaning the pick-up he used to abduct her. 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 80. Further, the State argued that because the defendant did not know the victim, the jury should infer that there was no other plausible motive for the killing. [7] Id. More accurately, it seems that these cases stand for the proposition that the evidence in Henderson only supported the murder-of-a-witness aggravator. Nonetheless, because it is unclear what evidence the Henderson majority was referring to when it said other evidence in the record, we believe Henderson can be understood, at least arguably so, to mean that lack of other plausible motives and post-crime destruction of evidence is sufficient to satisfy the aggravator. {27} We find this construction of Henderson deeply disturbing. As we have previously discussed, proof of the aggravator requires evidence that the murder of a witness is specifically for the purpose of preventing report of the crime. Section 31-20A-5(G). When this evidence is purely circumstantial, it must have a direct link to the motive, such as in Willis. By contrast, proof of a negative  the lack of any other plausible motive  is not the equivalent of affirmative proof of a specific motive. The State does not meet its burden of proving an essential element of death eligibility merely by showing the lack of alternatives. The language and intent of the statute, and the constitutional requirement of narrowing require more. Moreover, the commonplace event that a murderer tries to destroy incriminating evidence does not elevate the lack of other plausible motives to proof of a specific motive to silence a witness. {28} We are always reluctant to overturn precedent. See Herrera v. Quality Pontiac, 2003-NMSC-018, ¶ 15, 134 N.M. 43, 73 P.3d 181 (noting that stare decisis promotes: 1) stability of the law; 2) fairness in assuring that like cases are treated similarly; and 3) judicial economy). Before doing so, we will look to a number of factors: 1) whether the precedent is so unworkable as to be intolerable; 2) whether parties justifiably relied on the precedent so that reversing it would create an undue hardship; 3) whether the principles of law have developed to such an extent as to leave the old rule no more than a remnant of abandoned doctrine; and 4) whether the facts have changed in the interval from the old rule to reconsideration so as to have robbed the old rule of justification. Trujillo v. City of Albuquerque, 1998-NMSC-031, ¶ 34, 125 N.M. 721, 965 P.2d 305 (quoting Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 855 (1992)); accord Herrera, 2003- NMSC-018, ¶ 15. {29} In this case, only the first factor comes into play. We find the potential interpretation of Henderson  that the murder-of-a-witness motive is established when there is no other plausible motive and the defendant takes steps to destroy evidence or conceal involvement in the crime  to be unworkable. Read this way, it would open up a majority of murder cases to death eligibility. Many murders involve at least one other crime, and many murderers take some post-crime action to avoid detection. Yet, many murders will not involve a clear-cut motive, and in such cases should not become death eligible, essentially by default, simply because no other plausible motive appears more likely. Consistent with the Constitution and our legislative mandate, death penalty eligibility requires more in the way of compelling evidence that, as a matter of probabilities, the killing was specifically for the purpose of silencing a witness. {30} Because Henderson is subject to an interpretation that appears to relax the constitutional and statutory standard in an impermissible manner, we find it so unworkable as to be intolerable. Trujillo, 1998-NMSC-031, ¶ 34. To the extent Henderson, 109 N.M. at 659-60, 789 P.2d at 607-08, can be read as upholding the murder-of-a-witness motive, when the only evidence of motive is the lack of other plausible motives and attempts to destroy evidence or conceal involvement in the crimes, then to that extent, Henderson must be overturned, and we do so in this opinion. {31} Having excised the foregoing proposition from Henderson from our murder-of-a-witness jurisprudence, we return to our spectrum of cases to determine the outcome of the present case. Within this spectrum, the cases are distinguished by the quantum and quality of evidence presented by the State that is relevant to the aggravating factor. In all the above cases, there is a murder, a separate crime that precedes or coincides with the murder, and attempts to cover-up the crimes by tampering with evidence or lying to police. But that alone is not enough. What makes the evidence enough for probable cause is something more; there must be some additional evidence of motive to bring within  reasonable probabilities  that the killing was for the purpose of preventing report of the crime by a witness, and not for some other motive, immaterial to death penalty considerations. Young, 2004-NMSC-015, ¶ 2 (emphasis added); see § 31-20A-5(G). {32} At the easier end of the analysis is the Clark / Allen line of cases in which the additional evidence of motive comes directly from the defendant's own statements or there is other direct evidence such as a prior crime. At the more difficult end is a case like Willis where we are left to infer the defendant's motive from minimal circumstantial evidence. The key is to determine from the record whether there is a direct link from the circumstantial evidence that makes it reasonably probable, not just possible, that the defendant's motive was to silence a witness. With these considerations in mind, we turn to the two victims in this case to determine if probable cause exists that either was murdered to prevent the report of another crime. {33} The State presented sufficient evidence of a robbery or burglary taking place at the Tafoya residence. From this, there is probable cause to believe that Mr. and Mrs. Tafoya were witnesses or likely to become witnesses to the robbery and burglary. Thus, the first element was satisfied. It is the second element, evidence of Defendant's specific intent to silence a witness, that is more problematic. {34} For this element, we look to the record for evidence that Defendant's intent or motivation behind the killings was to silence the victims. See UJI 14-7023; Willis, 1997-NMSC-014, ¶ 18; Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. The evidence suggests the house and store were robbed. Gems and a gun missing from the house were later connected to Defendant, the house was in disarray, and Defendant admitted he went to the house to steal and called it a robbery gone bad. There was evidence Defendant may have attempted to conceal his involvement in the robbery by placing a shirt in the back door of the house so that no one could look in, by hiding the gems and gun, and by misleading police about his involvement in the crimes. {35} The record is devoid of circumstantial evidence with a direct link to the requisite motive. We are left with nothing but speculation as to Defendant's motive. Cf. State v. Flores, 1996-NMCA-059, ¶ 15, 122 N.M. 84, 920 P.2d 1038 (probable cause cannot be based on speculation). It is not unusual for a criminal to take steps to avoid detection while committing a crime, like posting a lookout during a drug deal or wearing a ski mask during a bank robbery. Defendant's placement of a shirt over the window in the door here is no different than this common behavior. Similarly, Defendant's later efforts to hide the gems and the gun he took from the shop, and then lie to police about his role in the killings are symptomatic of nearly every crime. If this were enough to satisfy probable cause, the murder-of-a-witness aggravating factor would be broadened far beyond the narrow class of offenders the Legislature intended for the ultimate sanction. {36} Defendant did tell police he went to the Tafoya house to steal gems so he could use them to buy drugs, and he characterized his crime as a robbery gone bad. This is not a statement that indicates an intent to silence a witness. Cf. Smith, 1997-NMSC-017, ¶ 11 (holding murder-of-a-witness aggravator not established when the defendant indicated a different motive). Notably, it is also not the kind of statement this Court has found persuasive in the past with regard to the killing-of-a-witness aggravator. Cf. Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 80; Coffin, 1999-NMSC-038, ¶ 49; Clark, 108 N.M. at 304, 772 P.2d at 338. {37} The circumstantial evidence surrounding each individual killing does not shed any more light on Defendant's motive. Beginning with Mr. Tafoya, the record indicates he was found face down in the kitchen near the entry way to the store with multiple stab wounds. There is no other evidence concerning the circumstances of his death. This makes Defendant's motive even less clear. {38} Mr. Tafoya's murder best resembles the killing in Treadway. It appears Mr. Tafoya was killed very quickly after confronting Defendant, leaving Defendant little time to form the specific intent to kill for the purpose of silencing a witness. See Treadway, No. 26,218, slip op. at 6. We note the same paucity of additional evidence that made the evidence of motive insufficient in Treadway, where at least there was some circumstantial evidence (reaching for the phone) with a direct link to the requisite motive. Id. ; see supra note 4. And unlike Willis, there is no evidence the victim screamed and alerted the neighbors, causing the robber to kill the potential witness and then flee for fear of imminent capture. In short, we are struck by the absence of circumstantial evidence that might enlighten us, or a jury, as to why Mr. Tafoya was killed. {39} Similarly, the circumstances of Mrs. Tafoya's killing have no direct link to the murder-of-a-witness motive. We note there are differences between the two killings. Most notably, Mrs. Tafoya not only witnessed the robbery, but may have also witnessed her husband's murder, when she heard him fall. Thus, it is reasonable to infer that Mr. Tafoya was killed first, before Defendant discovered Mrs. Tafoya in the home. It is possible, therefore, that Defendant felt compelled to kill Mrs. Tafoya because she was a potential witness to her husband's murder in addition to the robbery/burglary. Cf. Henderson, 109 N.M. at 660, 789 P.2d at 608 (noting in State v. Guzman, 100 N.M. 756, 676 P.2d 1321 (1984), that having two potential witnesses increases the chance someone would report the accused and make the motive more likely to silence a witness). There is, however, no concrete evidence that Defendant actually considered this reason for the killings. Without other evidence, we are left with nothing more than a guess. {40} Additionally, Mrs. Tafoya was elderly and disabled, and her hands were bound behind her back, which makes it possible that the only reason she was tied down was to prevent her from reporting the crime and ultimately to silence her as a witness. But, none of this evidence establishes anything more than a possibility that Mrs. Tafoya may, or may not, have been killed because she was a potential witness against Defendant. Contrary to the State's assertions, the evidence she was elderly and incapacitated, does not add to the probable cause calculation. Essentially, the probative nature of this evidence derives from the question it begs, What other reason could Defendant have had to kill her? Although it is true that her disabled state may eliminate the possibility she was killed for trying to resist, or for other motives, this only proves a negative. The lack of other plausible motives, as we have said earlier in the opinion with regard to Henderson, does not prove the opposite, the motive for the killing. The murder-of-a-witness aggravator cannot be established by default. {41} Due to the lack of evidence on motive, we cannot leave the jury to speculate about a fundamental element of death eligibility. The State has not produced a record that narrows the motive as a matter of reasonable probabilities to this aggravating factor. Accordingly, we hold that the murder-of-a-witness aggravating circumstance for the killings of both Mr. and Mrs. Tafoya should have been dismissed by the court at the conclusion of the Ogden hearing.