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Family vows support for NM teen murder suspect

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Relatives of a New Mexico teen facing charges in the slayings of his parents and three younger siblings said Tuesday they are refusing to give up on the boy and are vowing to support him as his case moves through the justice system.

Nehemiah Griego‘s family members told The Associated Press in an interview that they are heartbroken over the tragedy and that there were never any signs that something like this would happen.

They described the 15-year-old as a normal teenager who was close to his family, loved wrestling with his father and brother, played in the church youth band and was known for his guitar solos.

“Nehemiah is a loving kid. He loved his family and he made a really terrible mistake and we don’t know why he did it,” said his older sister, Annette Griego. “We don’t know whether he had a mental breakdown. We just don’t know. We don’t have answers.”

Nehemiah Griego has been in custody since Jan. 19, when authorities say he shot his parents and siblings in their home in a rural area south of Albuquerque.

His parents, Greg and Sarah Griego, were well-known throughout the community for more than a decade of ministry work with inmates at the county jail. Greg Griego, an Army veteran, also served as a pastor at one of Albuquerque’s largest Christian churches and was a volunteer chaplain with the local fire department.

Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston has said the teen told detectives he was angry with his mother and had been having homicidal and suicidal thoughts.

Family members have been critical of how the investigation has been handled and are pushing for a psychiatric evaluation for the teen in hopes of finding out what led to the violence.

Griego has been classified as a serious youthful offender and is facing charges as an adult. His relatives said they forgive him and prefer that he be tried as a juvenile.

“For us, justice is what the victims of this crime would want and what they would have wanted is for us to do everything we can to make sure that Nehemiah is given the fairest chance to turn his life around, that he not be cast away to an adult prison system where he can never have an opportunity for redemption,” said Eric Griego, the boy’s uncle.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

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New Mexico teen spends time at church after allegedly killing family

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The New Mexico teen accused of killing his family and plotting to randomly gun down Wal-Mart shoppers spent much of the day after the early morning slayings at his church, wandering the campus as dozens of Sunday school teachers were being trained on how to deal with a shooter, a security official said.

But it wasn’t until hours later, former police officer and Calvary Albuquerque security chief Vince Harrison said, that he knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Harrison, who led the safety training Saturday morning, said he was called back to the church that evening after 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego told a pastor he found his family dead in their home.

“When I met Nehemiah, I knew something wasn’t right,” Harrison said Wednesday. “I could feel it, I could see it in his eyes and I could see it in his behavior and his demeanor so the red flags went up and that’s when I called the sheriff’s department.”

Harrison, who had known the Griego family for about 10 years, said he drove the teen back to the family’s rural southwest Albuquerque home to meet authorities, interviewing him along the way.

“He went into detail of where they were, where the guns were and he was very matter-of-fact, really cold so I knew something wasn’t right,” Harrison said.

After finding the bodies, sheriff’s officials say, they took the teen to headquarters. During questioning, they say he confessed to shooting his mother and three younger siblings in their beds shortly after 1 a.m., then waiting in a bathroom with a military-style semi-automatic rifle to ambush his father upon his return from an overnight shift at a homeless shelter.

They say he also told them he had reloaded the family’s rifles and taken them with him in the family van with plans to randomly shoot more people.

“That sends chills down my spine,” Harrison said. “But obviously God had a different plan.”
Harrison said several people spotted Griego at the church throughout the day and told him hello, thinking nothing of it until his arrest. He said officials then reviewed security video and found the teen had spent much of the day there.
The video has been turned over to investigators, who have been working to piece together what led to the violence and what happened in the hours that followed.
Harrison said he doesn’t know why Griego decided to come to the church, but that it was like a second home for the boy, who was homeschooled.
“It was a familiar place to him,” he said. “I think if he did have in his mindset to do something foolish and start shooting people there also, I think his demeanor was tamed a little bit because he saw people there he knew.”
Sheriff Dan Houston said Tuesday there was no indication Griego intended to harm anyone at the church. The sheriff also said Griego and his girlfriend had spent much of the day together.
A prayer vigil was held at the church Wednesday night for victims Greg Griego, 51, his wife, Sarah Griego, 40, and three of their children — a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and daughters Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2.
Before the start of the vigil, members of the crowd shared hugs and handshakes as photographs of the victims were displayed on large digital screens at the front of the church. An estimated 2,000 people attended and nearly every seat was filled before the start of the hour-long service.
“Our hearts break, Lord,” Pastor Skip Heitzig told the crowd. “We, often in times like these, scratch our heads and wonder why. We are at a loss for words and we are certainly at a loss for explanation.”
Heitzig shared stories about Greg Griego, who once served as pastor at Calvary. He said Greg was always ready to “get his hands dirty” and was dedicated to helping others find God through his work as a pastor and as a volunteer chaplain. He also urged the crowd to remember that forgiveness and restoration — two tenets dear to Greg — will be important as the community moves forward.
Relatives in a statement Tuesday night said they were heartbroken, and remembered the teen as a bright and talented musician who played guitar, drums and bass with the church choir. He also was a champion wrestler who dreamed of following his family’s long tradition of military service, and a boy who accompanied his pastor father on rescue missions to Mexico, they said.
“We have not been able to comprehend what led to this incredibly sad situation. However, we are deeply concerned about the portrayal in some media of Nehemiah as some kind of a monster.”
The statement, emailed by the boy’s uncle, Eric Griego, called on the media and the public not to use 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego “as a pawn for ratings or to score political points.”
“He is a troubled young man who made a terrible decision that will haunt him and his family forever,” the statement said.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

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NM teen spends time at church after family slain

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The New Mexico teen accused of killing his family and plotting to randomly gun down Wal-Mart shoppers spent much of the day after the early morning slayings at his church, wandering the campus as dozens of Sunday school teachers were being trained on how to deal with a shooter, a security official said.

But it wasn’t until hours later, former police officer and Calvary Albuquerque security chief Vince Harrison said, that he knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Harrison, who led the safety training Saturday morning, said he was called back to the church that evening after 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego told a pastor he found his family dead in their home.

“When I met Nehemiah, I knew something wasn’t right,” Harrison said Wednesday. “I could feel it, I could see it in his eyes and I could see it in his behavior and his demeanor so the red flags went up and that’s when I called the sheriff’s department.”

Harrison, who had known the Griego family for about 10 years, said he drove the teen back to the family’s rural southwest Albuquerque home to meet authorities, interviewing him along the way.

“He went into detail of where they were, where the guns were and he was very matter-of-fact, really cold so I knew something wasn’t right,” Harrison said.

After finding the bodies, sheriff’s officials say, they took the teen to headquarters. During questioning, they say he confessed to shooting his mother and three younger siblings in their beds shortly after 1 a.m., then waiting in a bathroom with a military-style semi-automatic rifle to ambush his father upon his return from an overnight shift at a homeless shelter.

They say he also told them he had reloaded the family’s rifles and taken them with him in the family van with plans to randomly shoot more people.

“That sends chills down my spine,” Harrison said. “But obviously God had a different plan.”

Harrison said several people spotted Griego at the church throughout the day and told him hello, thinking nothing of it until his arrest. He said officials then reviewed security video and found the teen had spent much of the day there.

The video has been turned over to investigators, who have been working to piece together what led to the violence and what happened in the hours that followed.

Harrison said he doesn’t know why Griego decided to come to the church, but that it was like a second home for the boy, who was homeschooled.

“It was a familiar place to him,” he said. “I think if he did have in his mindset to do something foolish and start shooting people there also, I think his demeanor was tamed a little bit because he saw people there he knew.”

Sheriff Dan Houston said Tuesday there was no indication Griego intended to harm anyone at the church. The sheriff also said Griego and his girlfriend had spent much of the day together.

A prayer vigil was held at the church Wednesday night for victims Greg Griego, 51, his wife, Sarah Griego, 40, and three of their children — a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and daughters Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2.

Before the start of the vigil, members of the crowd shared hugs and handshakes as photographs of the victims were displayed on large digital screens at the front of the church. An estimated 2,000 people attended and nearly every seat was filled before the start of the hour-long service.

“Our hearts break, Lord,” Pastor Skip Heitzig told the crowd. “We, often in times like these, scratch our heads and wonder why. We are at a loss for words and we are certainly at a loss for explanation.”

Heitzig shared stories about Greg Griego, who once served as pastor at Calvary. He said Greg was always ready to “get his hands dirty” and was dedicated to helping others find God through his work as a pastor and as a volunteer chaplain. He also urged the crowd to remember that forgiveness and restoration — two tenets dear to Greg — will be important as the community moves forward.

Relatives in a statement Tuesday night said they were heartbroken, and remembered the teen as a bright and talented musician who played guitar, drums and bass with the church choir. He also was a champion wrestler who dreamed of following his family’s long tradition of military service, and a boy who accompanied his pastor father on rescue missions to Mexico, they said.

“We have not been able to comprehend what led to this incredibly sad situation. However, we are deeply concerned about the portrayal in some media of Nehemiah as some kind of a monster.”

The statement, emailed by the boy’s uncle, Eric Griego, called on the media and the public not to use 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego “as a pawn for ratings or to score political points.”

“He is a troubled young man who made a terrible decision that will haunt him and his family forever,” the statement said.

___

Associated Press Writer Jeri Clausing in Albuquerque, N.M., contributed to this report.

___

Follow Susan Montoya Bryan on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanmbryanNM

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

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New Mexico mulls new gun laws after teen charged in family's murder

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While a 15-year-old New Mexico boy faces charges of murdering five family members with his father’s gun, state lawmakers are weighing two measures that show just how divided the state is on firearms.

One measure would require background checks for all gun sales, while another would allow concealed weapons to be carried into bars and restaurants. And lawmakers on both sides of the issue say they will not be swayed by the alleged actions of Nehemiah Griego, who is accused of killing his mother, father and three siblings on Jan. 19 in their Albuquerque home. Former state Sen. Eric Griego, the boy’s uncle, said he and his murdered brother disagreed about gun control. But he said the shootings are not part of the legislative debate.

“To be clear, our family has differing views on gun rights and gun control,” Eric Griego said in a statement. “What we do agree on is that those who wish to score political points should not use a confused, misguided 15-year old boy to make their case.”

State Rep. Zach Cook, a Republican, is sponsoring a bill that would allow licensed owners to carry concealed handguns into restaurants and liquor establishments. Although he dropped language that would have extended the conceal-and-carry law to schools and hotels, he said the real threat comes from “the sick element of society” that uses guns irresponsibly. Asked how the Griego tragedy might affect the legislative session, Cook predicted poignant discussions but little effect on lawmakers’ votes.

“I don’t think the deal in Albuquerque will change anyone’s minds,” Cook said.

The young suspect told police he was plagued by homicidal and suicidal thoughts prior to shooting his mother, three siblings ranging in age from 2 to 9, and then lying in wait to kill his father with Greg Griego‘s assault rifle. Police say he also had planned to go to an area Walmart and shoot innocent people until police gunned him down, but that phase of his plan was thwarted when a family friend learned of the killings and alerted police.

Nehemiah’s father, Greg Griego, was an active minister in the Albuquerque community who helped the youth and served his church. But he also was a former gang member who kept at least four guns in the home that were not kept locked or secured, according to sources. A spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department said there was no indication of felony convictions that would have precluded Griego from possessing weapons.

The other measure being considered by New Mexico lawmakers is one sponsored by Democrat Rep. Miguel Garcia, of Bernalillo County, the same county where the family massacre occurred. Like Cook, Garcia says he is concerned with the mental health of gun owners, but his bill calls for mandatory checks into the mental health and criminal backgrounds of potential buyers at gun shows and private purchases. Felons, fugitives and the mentally ill would not be able to legally purchase guns.

Nehemiah Griego is awaiting a grand jury in Albuquerque District Court, where prosecutors plan to try him as an adult.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

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Sheriff: New Mexico teen planned family shootings

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The New Mexico teen accused of killing his parents and three siblings is portrayed in charging documents as a teen haunted by homicidal and suicidal thoughts that included fantasies of killing his girlfriend’s parents and gunning down random people at a Wal-Mart.

To his family, he was a bright, curious and talented musician who played in the church choir. He also was a champion wrestler who dreamed of following his family’s long tradition of military service, and a boy who accompanied his pastor father on rescue missions to Mexico.

In a statement issued Tuesday night on behalf of family, the boy’s uncle Eric Griego described those traits, and called on the media and the public not to use 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego “as a pawn for ratings or to score political points.”

“He is a troubled young man who made a terrible decision that will haunt him and his family forever,” the statement said.

It gave no clue as to what might have prompted the alleged assault by the teen, who authorities say confessed to shooting his mother and three younger siblings in their beds early Saturday, then waiting in a bathroom with a military-style semi-automatic rifle to ambush his father upon his return from an overnight shift at a homeless shelter.

“Our family is heartbroken over this senseless tragedy,” the statement said. “We have not been able to comprehend what led to this incredibly sad situation. However, we are deeply concerned about the portrayal in some media of Nehemiah as some kind of a monster.”

The family noted they had no indication of the boy’s troubles but said it’s clear that something went terribly wrong.

“Whether it was a mental breakdown or some deeper undiagnosed psychological issue, we can’t be sure yet,” the statement said. “What we do know is that none of us, even in our wildest nightmare, could have imagined that he could do something like this.”

After killing his parents, his younger brother and two sisters at the family’s home in a rural area southwest of Albuquerque, Griego planned to randomly shoot people at a Wal-Mart, Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston said Tuesday. The teen also contemplated killing the parents of his 12-year-old girlfriend, Houston said.

Griego loaded guns and ammunition into the family’s van, but it was unclear if he ended up going to a Wal-Mart or how seriously he contemplated continuing his rampage, the sheriff said.

The attack happened Saturday, the same day thousands of gun advocates rallied around the country to oppose the gun-control measures proposed by President Obama following the December elementary school massacre in Connecticut.

What authorities know, Houston said, was that Griego texted a picture of his dead mother to his girlfriend, then spent much of Saturday with her and her family. That evening, Griego went to the church where his father once worked, and he confessed later that night to killing his parents and three siblings, authorities said.

“We know Nehemiah had been contemplating this for some time,” Houston said. Griego apparently had told others of his plans, but whom and when were still under investigation.

The motive, Houston said, “was purely that he was frustrated with his mother.”

“He did not give any further explanation,” the sheriff said.

The teen waived his right to arraignment in adult criminal court Tuesday on charges of murder and child abuse resulting in death and was ordered held without bond. He was arrested Saturday at his family’s home.

The sheriff’s office identified the dead as Greg Griego, 51, his wife, Sarah Griego, 40, and three of their children: a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and daughters Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2.

The teen had no history of mental illness or run-ins with the law, and drugs or alcohol did not appear to be a factor, Houston said. The sheriff noted the teen liked violent video games such as “Modern Warfare” and “Grand Theft Auto,” but he did not say whether he believed the games were a factor.

Greg Griego was a gang member-turned pastor who had served at Calvary, one of Albuquerque’s largest Christian churches. He had an extensive arrest record from his gang days, but was best known throughout the law enforcement community for his work as a voluntary chaplain.

The church planned a prayer vigil Wednesday night.

“We are doing what we can as a church body to minister to the remaining family members,” Calvary Pastor Skip Heitzig said in a statement. “Only the Lord Jesus Christ can heal this type of pain and heartache.”

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

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New Mexico teen suspected of gunning down family described as a loner

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By Joseph Kolb

The 15-year-old boy charged with gunning down his parents and three siblings in the family’s home Saturday night was a quiet loner who walked around his Albuquerque neighborhood in camouflage military fatigues and did not attend the local school, say neighbors stunned at the teen’s murderous rampage.

Nehemiah Griego has been charged with two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death. Police say he killed his parents, Greg and Sara Griego and three of their children with an assault rifle. The suspected gunman is being held at the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center as police and local residents try to make sense of the horrific crime. While police declined to discuss the boy’s motives, area residents said he was a loner.

“From what I hear neighbors were kinda scared of the kid,” South Valley activist Tony Padilla told local news station KOB Channel 4.

Area residents said the teen was almost always seen by himself and wore military-style clothing. Griego was not registered as a student with the Albuquerque Public School District, but police could not confirm if he had dropped out or was being home-schooled. Griego appears in an online dating site called www.meetone.com wearing military fatigues with the comment: “I’m a fun-loving guy who [likes] to make [people] happy; I might be shy but I’ll open up once you get to know me.” The site does not correctly list his age.

A spokesman for the New Mexico child welfare agency said the agency had had no contacts with the boy or his family. The Associated Press reported finding no records indicating the teen had ever been involved with the juvenile justice system, and investigators say there was no history of any emergency calls to the home in the recent past.

Police declined to describe Griego’s mental state at the time of his arrest or the exact circumstances around the arrest.

“There’s no other way to say it except we have a horrific crime scene we are working on,” said Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston at a press conference Sunday.

Sources said neighbors have told police they heard arguing coming from the Griegos’ yard Saturday night. Bernalillo County Sheriff deputies were called to the house around 9:15 p.m. by a 911 caller Houston saidwas contacted by Griego after the shooting. It was unclear what the caller’s relationship was to the suspect.

Greg Griego, who was a pastor of a local church before taking a leave of absence and had volunteered as chaplain for the Metropolitan Detention Center, was 51. Sara Griego was 40 and the children, Zephania, Jael and Angelina, were 9, 5 and 2, respectively.

“All of the victims appeared to have been shot multiple times,” Aaron Williamson, spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff‘s Department, told FoxNews.com. He said multiple weapons were found in the house, including an “AR type” assault rifle which Griego is alleged to have used in the rampage.

District Attorney Kari Brandeburg‘s office will weigh whether to prosecute the 15-year-old Griego as an adult or minor.

Griego’s brother Eric Griego released a statement Saturday: “Our family is grieving this terrible tragedy,” he said. “We appreciate the prayers and support we have received and request that the media honor our family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

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