Convicted murderer arraigned again due to probation violation

BERNALILLO — A man was arraigned for the second time Oct. 14 after violating probation from his conviction of second-degree murder.

Joseph Vargas, 28, of Albuquerque, was arrested for the murder of Kenneth Torres in April 2017. According to court records, Torres and another person were found with stab wounds at an apartment off of Eventide Road in Rio Rancho. Torres later died from his injuries.

In May the following year, Vargas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, court records show. Shortly after the plea, he was sentenced to a total of 15 years with seven years suspended, two years in parole and five years of supervised probation. At the time of his sentencing, Vargas had already served 413 days in prison, which was credited to his sentence.

Vargas was released from prison in September 2024, according to the state’s motion to revoke probation. The state referenced five violations tied to one arrest in Albuquerque, the document shows. It states that Vargas was arrested for an aggravated assault. Upon his arrest, officers also found him with a knife.

The state charged Vargas with violating the law, injuring another person, being unemployed and possession of a weapon during probation. He was served with a bench warrant after that.

Jail time for a probation violation can range from no time at all to the full original jail sentence, which in Vargas’ case is 15 years.