Suspect in human remains discovery apprehended

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Baroz faces three felony charges

LOS SAUCES– A Sanford man wanted in connection with the human remains located in Conejos County was arrested at a motel in Gallup, New Mexico, at 3 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Members of the Colorado Springs Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who were assisting the Alamosa Police Department in the search for the fugitive, located Adre Baroz, 26, also known as Psycho, in Gallup.

Baroz was taken into custody without incident and will be transported to the McKinley County Detention Center in Gallup. He is facing charges in Colorado of First Degree Homicide, First Degree Assault and Second Degree Kidnapping. 

The warrant remains sealed; therefore, no additional information is available.

At an online news conference Wednesday, authorities asked for the public’s assistance in locating Baroz, a suspect in the discovery of three sets of human remains near here in Conejos County over the past 10 days. He was considered armed and dangerous.

At the press conference Wednesday morning, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and local law enforcement officials confirmed that a forensic anthropologist has determined that remains found are from three different individuals whose identities are unknown at this time.

Monte Vista Police Chief George Dingfelder said it could be “weeks if not months” before the victim’s identities are learned and that the skeletal remains may not be associated with missing persons reports out of Monte Vista and Alamosa. He added that not even the gender of the victims can be determined at this time.

A task force of local law enforcement and CBI was formed last week after one set of human remains was found on a property near Los Sauces.

Conejos County Sheriff Garth Crowther said his department had requested assistance from CBI on Nov. 10 to conduct a search warrant on one of the properties and discovered the first remains. It was later revealed that the warrant was related to possible stolen vehicles and other goods, but it was not confirmed if Baroz is a suspect in that crime nor if the two crime scenes are owned by him.

The task force conducted a second search on Friday, Nov. 13 when the other two sets of remains were found.

Alamosa Police Chief Ken Anderson identified Baroz as the “clear suspect” in the case and that there is an active homicide warrant for his arrest. He was described as five feet 11 inches tall, 200 pounds and is covered with tattoos.

“The goal is to get him off the streets,” Anderson said Wednesday. “All suspects are innocent until proven guilty and he will have his day in court.”

Baroz is from the town of Sanford and has a criminal history in Colorado going back to 2014 that includes parole violation, assault on a peace officer, attempted escape and theft, according to state court records. Baroz also has open criminal cases against him that include drug charges, possession of a weapon by a felon and assault.

Not seen in police and court records since Jan. 1, 2019, he was arrested again by the Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office for simple assault on Sept. 25 and by the Alamosa Police Department on the same day for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, dangerous drugs, controlled Schedule 1 or 2 drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.

Chris Schaefer, CBI deputy director, said Wednesday that his agency was still processing the crime scene and reiterated that the “number one goal is to get Baroz in custody.” Chief Dingfelder said although the properties are still being searched, there is no indication that additional remains will be found.

CBI Director John Camper thanked all of the departments involved in the investigation including the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control that provided air support. Sheriff Crowther added that local law enforcement have “worked themselves to exhaustion.”

Camper noted that the situation will be traumatic for the families of missing persons even if the remains found are not related and asked the media to be respectful of the families.

Chief Anderson concluded that the San Luis Valley is “a tight knit community. Most of us grew up here. “We don’t see cases like this very often,” he said, “and keeping the community safe is our number one priority.”

 


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