Everyone Knew
A family headed toward tragedy—while Santa Fe watched
By: Corey Pein 07/08/2009
The record is unclear about the other woman’s identity. It’s also vague about the mystery object. It could’ve been a bottle, a dildo, a gun—anything.
Loretta told police she spent Dec. 31, 2008, at the Park Inn & Suites on Cerrillos Road, getting drunk, high and then raped “with an object” by another female. Marino’s company guards that hotel, a clerk confirms.
Whatever happened that New Year’s Eve may have led Marino to sign divorce papers, again, on Jan. 2.
On Jan. 6, Loretta reported her rape from CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Marino also called the cops that day: Someone had stolen his white Ford Taurus, which he’d left in the Lowe’s supermarket lot overnight with the keys inside.
By 2009, little that happened to the Leybas could surprise.
April was the last time Reno’s neighbor, Juan Medrano, remembers seeing Reno and his pretty, quiet young girlfriend, Sarah. Medrano never saw or heard them fight. But Medrano, also nicknamed Reno, rarely spoke to the skinny security guard across the street.
“He looks like a good guy, always,” Medrano says.
Others saw more. In the months after Sarah’s pregnancy, according to an article in The Santa Fe New Mexican, a Paseo Del Sol resident saw Reno and Sarah “fighting in a car and when Lovato tried to get out, Leyba pulled her back in by her hair. The neighbor did not report the incident.”
Horwitz, the domestic violence liaison, is disgusted but not surprised. “People are more concerned about robberies and prairie dogs than they are about each other,” she says.
Knowing the Lovatos might have been saved wears on her. “It’s been horrible—beyond horrible,” Horwitz says. The same goes for others in the “DV” field.
“This happening on my shift; I feel responsible somehow,” Esperanza’s Taylor says. “Maybe we should’ve done more outreach in the schools. Maybe there should’ve been more triage for [Reno]. I don’t know what we could’ve done. But we’re going to do something now.”
To Reno’s defense attorney, ACLU-New Mexico President Gary Mitchell, it’s no accident New Mexico ranks among the nation’s worst in treating mental illness. (A 2009 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness says this state made little progress, despite a bureaucratic overhaul begun in 2005.) Without saying his client committed “any act,” Mitchell suggests Reno might have benefited from some serious psychiatric attention early in life.
“Until the Legislature decides to provide appropriate funds for mental health treatment, whether it be in schools or outside of schools, we’re going to continue to have major problems,” Mitchell says. “Isn’t it worth it to save lives? Why do we have to be so ignorant? And I say ignorant because the Legislature knows and the governor knows, but they don’t want to do it because it’s not something that gets you votes. It is so wrong that the governor and every official in this state ought to walk with their heads down. They’re the ones responsible.”
Morally, Mitchell may have a case. But the law will hold one person responsible for the Lovatos’ deaths, and his name isn’t Bill Richardson.
Reno had revealed a jealous side before. Yet even after learning what happened to Sarah, Reno’s ex doesn’t think she dodged a bullet.
“I don’t think he would have it in him to shoot me,” Amanda Ewers says. “I’m sure a lot of girls would say this: I think we had a different kind of relationship.”
Steve Ewers suspects his daughter might still have feelings for Reno. But even the angry dad has sympathy for the young man now jailed on murder charges: “Wherever he goes, I hope he gets the help he needs,” Ewers says.
Earlier this year, Reno tried to reconnect with Amanda. She blocked his calls—except one night when she was drunk. “Maybe I can just come out there with you and start a new life,” he told her.
“No,” she said.
Corey Pein
The apartment complex where the Lovatos died stands across the street from Capital High School. Their door bears scuff marks.
Amanda remembers a cryptic message Reno left sometime in May, apparently before the shooting.
C’mon, I love you. I just wanted to talk to you. I don’t understand.
You’ll hear about me. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but you’ll hear about me.
Detective Trujillo thinks it happened like this.
It was a Friday night, May 22. Reno—in uniform, with Mace and pistol—was beginning the graveyard shift.
He and Sarah were arguing over the phone again. In her room, Julie Lovato could hear them through the walls.
Minutes after getting off the phone, Sarah went to Julie’s bedroom. Soon the sisters heard Reno barge in. They heard Bennie Sr. yell, “You just don’t walk in here like that!”
Reno refused to leave. Julie followed Sarah into the hall.
“What the hell,” Reno shouted, “What are you going to do about it?”
Julie fled to her brother’s place nearby, hoping he could help. Running down the stairs, she heard Sarah’s voice for the last time: “Please Reno, no.”
Then she heard a shot. Moments later, more shots. People were finally calling 911. Bennie Jr., who once pulled a knife on his family, grabbed a baseball bat and ran to save his father and sister.
Reno was gone. The room smelled of Mace. Bennie Sr. lay dead in the living room, pregnant Sarah lay dead in the kitchen.
“We think the fetus was targeted specifically,” Trujillo says.
She was 17, he was 36 weeks in the womb. SFR
Comments (20)
Marc, if you'd like to list some of those sources here, I'm sure that would be helpful.
City DV Liason Carol Horwitz says people should call 911 if they witness family violence.
The local battered families' shelter has a website, here:
www.esperanzashelter.org
And their crisis line is (800) 473-5220.
Esperanza also has programs designed for abusers—and you don't have to wait until a judge sentences you to counseling to get involved. Call (505) 474-5536.
Finally—and I wasn't able to work this in to print, for space—Esperanza is seeking younger people to serve on its board. They want to expand their reach into the schools, and hopefully prevent more situations like those depicted in this story. To put your name in the hat, get ahold of Sherry Taylor at that 474-5536 number.
To The Editor. Thank you for acknowledging my response to your article. The phrase "wake-up call" is appropriate when you are discussing Marino K. Leyba and his personal relationships with females. I will stand by what I said before. Your story is sensationalistic and was written with the sole intent to inflame the public and sell papers. I feel tremendous compassion for the Leyba and Lovato families. You are looking at "extended victims" in this case. Did any of you think of this before you went the route of a tabloid rag? Did you try and find out if - for example - any family members (Leyba or Lovato) attend church? Did you try and find out if the daughter, Angel, has ever had charges for filing false claims of molestation against NON-family members? No human is perfect. No human should be excused from abusing another human. However, "freedom of the press" should not give you the right to drag everyone in a family through the mud - just because you can. I pray, for each and every person that they NEVER experience something this unspeakable. Leyba and Lovato have extended family. Do you honestly think what you printed will not affect them? If so, you are incredibly foolish or naive. Which is it?
Marc and Renee, thank you for sharing your stories and comments and, Marc, for the suggestion of creating a resource list here, which is a great one that we will follow up on. LiberteAPensador, I'm sorry you find the story sensationalistic, because nothing could be farther from its intention. Marc's term "wake-up call," is appropriate.
I read - then re-read your article about Marino K. Leyba and his family. I have traveled - extensively. I am a voracious reader. I cannot cite the last time I read such irresponsible "reporting." Perhaps you uncovered some detail others have missed - your "story" appears to put the entire Leyba family on trial. Were all members of the Leyba family present in the Lovato house the night of the crime? If NOT - you are no better than the National Enquirer and other tabloid rags. How awful, in your quest for sensationalism, you decided you had the right to try and destroy an entire family and their business. I realize the newspaper industry is dying. However, this is no excuse to try to destroy every single member of a family to sell papers. You see, this is the problem in America today. Too many people feel they have the inalienable "right" to plaster everything about a person to the public at large. I do not give two holy hoots about what you dug out of court records. I read the accusations made by Angel and Loretta Leyba. Your "story" implies all of the alleged charges are true. Obviously you FAILED to provide a responsible report by digging deeper. The TRUTH always sets you free. You are obviously still chained to innuendo and sensationalsim. The "real" story (and police reports) indicate the ONLY member of the Leyba family involved in this horrific crime is Marino K. Leyba. So, print whatever you feel will sell papers about this story involving Lovato. IF he is guilty (still innocent until proven guilty in America) then write about the FACTS. Your "reporter" surmissed A LOT. My profession requires huge amounts of investigative work. I would be fired if I turned in trash like this. You see, maybe someone else dug a lot deeper than your reporter did. Make Marino K. Leyba "man up" - if you feel the need. DO NOT attempt to destroy an entire family and call it journalism. You and everyone who supports this type of writing should be ashamed. It is not anyone's business about Angel & Loretta Leyba being in mental institutions. The part about the alleged "rape" of Loretta on December 31, 2008 did not require the graphic language. What does any of this have to do with the Leyba/Lovator case? I will tell you - absolutely NOTHING. You wanted to sensationalize the story - nothing more - nothing less. You cannot be sued for printing "facts." You should be ashamed for not substantiating things you attempted to pass off as "facts." Most people in the general public do not "research" every story they read. Many do not know how and others are too lazy to care. They rely on "reporters" to do their "researach" and "thinking" for them. I do not happen to be one of those people. I am not saying Marino K. Leyba is innocent. I am saying you should never have attacked the entire family. If they refused to comment on your "story" then I doubt they wanted to be part of a paper version of reality TV.
These stories need to be told. My daughter was only fourteen when she became involved with a an upperclassman at her high school. He was 17 at the time they started dating and I was uncomfortable with the way he seemed to consume ALL of her time and energy. He was always very respectful when he came to visit but I knew they fought alot at school. I stay on top of any absences she has, any e-mails and any activity on her social networking site. I used the nmcourts.com site and found that he had more than a few lising under his name and age. He had been found guilty of robbery and had pending domestic violence charges. I told my daughter that was no longer allowed to see him and she was very upset with me. She was mad but at the same time seemed relieved. I told her she was ending this relationship and it was MY decision. The following 3 months were a nightmare. He sent text messages, e-mails, gifts, and midnight calls. She still had to attend school and he would follow her and just stare at her. She didn't tell her teachers ( I asked her why and she said she was embarrassed, she felt that everyone would tease her for tattling on someone who was just staring at her). He turned 18 during this time. He had his mother call and ask why we wouldn't allow our daughter to date her son anymore. I told her my concerns and she admitted that even she (his mother) was afraid of him.
Our daughter became a prisoner in her own home. His messages became threatening. He started sending girls to fight with our daughter.
I kept a notebook of every call, copies of every e-mail, I wrote times and dates of when things happened. Even after he cornerd her (in a classroom) and destroyed her property, the school felt there was not a problem.
My husband called the police and although this guy had not done anything he could be arrested for, the deputy gave the instructions on how to apply for a restraining order. We filed for the protective order and waited until our hearing. Our daughter was not allowed to attend the court hearing but wanted to send a letter to the judge to tell her how this guy had made her life a nightmare. We were granted the order and it will remain in force until our daughter turns 18.
My daughter has carried this court order in her purse for nearly 2 years. She watches for him and has instructions on what to do if he or one of his cronies approaches her.
I never thought I would have to teach my daughter how to protect herself in a DV situation. She bases any relaionship she has with a boy on this unfortunate experience. I know she is smarter for it, and she watches out for her friends, but I still am sad that she had to experience it.
The signs are almost always the same, no matter race, age or level of violence.
Please watch your kids. If you suspect DV confront it and don't stop the process. These bullies just move on to the next victim.
Your current piece, "Everyone Knew," is highly disturbing and underscores the importance of our community becoming better educated and informed regarding domestic violence, substance abuse, and child abuse and neglect.
I hope this story serves as yet another wake-up call for our community regarding the ever-present social issues which beg for attention and persons availing themselves to existing social services. Education, awareness and prevention begins at home and in the schools. It would be pertient and also responsible journalism for the SFR to now also do a follow-up article on available social services, including: counseling and intervention programs, law enforcement's role, the judicial system's responsibilities, and every community member's role and responsibility to report domestic violence and child abuse to the proper authorities. Please also publish relevant State and community-funded programs and services. Don't stop now, there's more to the equation than simply shocking the public with frightening headlines.
Sincerely, Marc Perry
I realize that these events and the names were all public record, but that's generally true for sexual assaults. They stay out of the public eye only because there's a general media consensus not to publish them. I don't think your only other option was to not mention them. With Angel, you could say that the father was accused of molesting "a family member," which would make it clear that this was a dysfunctional and abusive family without pinpointing who exactly the victim was. With Loretta's case, I also think you could have used the phrase "family member" while still giving details about the nature of the incident, and explaining that it took place in an apartment complex guarded by Marino's company. I know it involves some obfuscation, but when you're giving out information that could follow a victim for the rest of her life, I think that it's worth it to try and balance privacy with your story.
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for your comment. You raise a very good point. As a general rule, yes, newspapers tend (as a matter of policy, anyway) to keep victims' names out of the paper, particularly in the case of sexual assault.
However, the various abuses written about in this story, all of which are part of a very public record and contained in documents, would make little sense if presented without identifying the people who were impacted, because it is a story about a history of abuse among a specific group of people—non-identification would make little sense in this context, leaving the only other option to be leaving out any mention of certain abuses, which I think would then cover up documented crimes that are relevant.
Thank you for your comment.
Julia
Isn't there some kind of journalistic rule against disclosing the names of rape victims? I know it's relevant to your story, and I appreciate that you're looking into a sensitive topic that is too often ignored, but I don't think that necessarily justifies outing two women as sexual assault victims.
Liberte, I get the sense that you have a personal connection to the people about whom this story was written and I can understand your desire to defend them if you feel they have been unfairly represented. But I think you are reading shame into a story that is told pretty dispassionately using the facts that have been recorded for years in the courts. The story does not pass judgment on the family; if anything, it judges the system that failed to intervene earlier when it knew how many problems there were and knew that cyclical family violence often explodes.
Anyway, I don't expect to convince you of anything, because it seems you have a vested interest in the topic, but I appreciate the conversation.