Off-duty MDC officer death reported in RR; second in as many days

A Metropolitan Detention Center corrections officer died Wednesday evening in Rio Rancho — the second off-duty death of an MDC officer in 24 hours.

The Rio Rancho Police Department, which is handling the investigation, identified the officer as Melissa Trujillo Saturday morning.

Relatives and coworkers took to Facebook to mourn the officer’s death. A GoFundMe page was started for Trujillo, 36, to help with funeral expenses and support her children.

A Rio Rancho police spokesperson said the death is being investigated as a suicide.

The announcement came a day after officials said 19-year-old Joshua Munoz died in a vehicle accident while leaving his shift at MDC. Munoz had graduated from the academy days earlier and worked his first shift at MDC on Sunday.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said Munoz drifted off the frontage road leading to the facility before crashing. A cause of Tuesday’s crash has not been released.

MDC spokeswoman Candace Hopkins said counseling services are being offered to Bernalillo County employees impacted by the officers’ deaths.