2023 DD abuse death case continued to 2026 trial

Medicaid fraud added to charges against women accused of causing Melero death

Women accused of causing the death of Mary Melero are now facing Medicaid fraud charges on t…

2023 abuse case gets trial dates

RIO RANCHO — The abuse case against those charged in the death of Mary Melero is scheduled f…

Mary Melero death partly tied to Medicaid fraud conspiracy

Keyona Zamora pleaded guilty to three counts of Medicaid Fraud and three counts of falsification of documents in mid-December in a case that is related to the those against caretakers accused of causing the death of a developmentally disabled woman, Mary Melero. The details of Zamora’s crimes were released by the New Mexico Department of Justice […]

Woman pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud in case related to Melero death

Keyona Zamora pleaded guilty to three counts of Medicaid Fraud and three counts of falsification of documents in mid-December in a case that is related to the those against caretakers accused of causing the death of developmentally disabled woman, Mary Melero. The fraud incidents took place from Nov. 12, 2022, to Jan. 24, 2023. Court […]

Hundreds of abuse cases unearthed in investigation after Mary Melero death

After a tortured Rio Rancho woman named Mary Melero was smuggled to the Mexican border with serious injuries in February and died in April from her injuries, the New Mexico Department of Health and Adult Protective Services at the Aging & Long-Term Services Department joined forces to establish a consolidated Central Intake Reporting system for […]

Fatal abuse case to go to trial

Angelita Chacon and Patricia Hurtado of Rio Rancho pleaded not guilty to abuse of a client resulting in death during their arraignment hearing. Both cases will head to trial sometime next year, though the date has not been determined. They were arrested on May 16 for the abuse of a client which resulted in death […]

Death by abuse case to go to arraignment for Chacon and Hurtado

According to affidavit of arrest warrants issued by police to the Sandoval County Magistrate Court, Angelita Chacon, Patricia Hurtado and Luz Scott of Rio Rancho were arrested on May 16 for the abuse of a client which resulted in death on Feb. 27. Details from FBI and border officers revealed the injuries to Mary Melero, […]

Attorney general believes DD waiver program needs more resources, oversight

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez on Thursday said he has “very serious concerns” that Mary Melero isn’t the only developmentally disabled person on the state’s waiver program that fell victim to abuse. He called the 38-year-old woman’s death, allegedly at the hands of her caretakers, “a wake up call.” Torrez suggested several reforms to […]

Additional details outlined in disabled woman’s death

Two caregivers and another person have been charged in the April death of a 38-year-old developmentally disabled woman who was found to have suffered “horrific” injuries related to abuse while in the state’s care. The abuse case is the one that led the state to terminate contracts with four health care providers involved and, on […]

Three arrested for death of abused, disabled client; AG calls it torture

According to affidavit of arrest warrants issued by police to the Sandoval County Magistrate Court, Angelita Chacon, Patricia Hurtado and Luz Scott of Rio Rancho were arrested on May 16 for the abuse of a client which resulted in death on Feb. 27. Mary Melero, 38, was an intellectually developmentally disabled (IDD) adult. “The abuse […]

BERNALILLO — Women charged with the death of a local disabled woman remain out on the streets with ankle monitors pre-trial, but there’s a chance they may be detained again.

Judge Chris Perez ruled in a June 2 hearing that the trial for Angelica Chacon and Patricia Hurtado-Estrada in relation to the death of Mary Melero would have to be postponed to 2026 due to some new developments in the case. Luz Scott is also grouped with the case but is charged on minor offenses unrelated to the death itself.

Chacon is charged with abuse of a resident resulting in death, two counts of false imprisonment and Medicaid fraud. Hurtado-Estrada faces charges of neglect of resident resulting in death, abuse of resident resulting in death, two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of Medicaid fraud and two counts of falsification of Medicaid documents. Scott was charged with two counts of false imprisonment, but her case was dismissed.

The New Mexico Department of Justice alleges that both Chacon and Hurtado removed their ankle monitors and communicated with each other in violation of court orders. NMDOJ lawyers stated there was suspicion that another crime had occurred during that time.

Perez, at the request of the defense lawyer, said an evidentiary hearing would take place in the next couple of weeks to hear about that incident. He insinuated that he would rule Chacon and Hurtado be held pre-trial at that hearing.

On Feb. 27, 2023, Border Patrol found Melero, a disabled woman under the care of Chacon and Hurtado, wrapped in a carpet in the back of Scott’s van, which Chacon and Hurtado were driving to cross the Mexican border. According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, Melero was severely neglected and beaten. Attorney General Raúl Torrez called the treatment “torture” at the time.

The women stated they were trying to get Melero medical care in Mexico.

In January 2024, Keyona Zamora, the Medicaid case agent for Melero, pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud and falsification of documents tied to the death of Melero. She alleged that Chacon and Hurtado took part in the Medicaid fraud.

Zamora’s sentencing will not occur until after the accused women are sentenced or plead out. She could face up to life in prison.

Chacon and Hurtado could face 20 years to life in prison if convicted.