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September trial continued in Melero death case
Patricia Hurtado and Angelica Chacon exit the courtroom after a pretrial hearing Monday at the Sandoval County Courthouse June 2.
Published
Modified
BERNALILLO — The trial surrounding the death of Mary Melero, a 38-year-old developmentally disabled woman of Rio Rancho, has been continued to 2026.
In a hearing June 30, it was determined the prosecution would have to file an order to continue the trial for the defendants, Angelica Chacon and Patricia Hurtado-Estrada, to next year, which delays any resolution in the case to three years after the initial crimes were committed. Additionally, a note on the scheduled jury selection hearing set for Sept. 10 states “vacated.”
Sandoval County 13th Judicial District Court Judge Christopher Perez hinted that the trial would be pushed back during a June 2 hearing after Chacon and Hurtado-Estrada allegedly removed their ankle monitors and spoke to each other illegally outside of court mandate. Those acts present new crimes in the case and prolong discovery by the prosecution, according to Perez.
Chacon and Hurtado, who are charged with extreme abuse and neglect of Melero leading to her death as well as Medicaid fraud, were remanded back into custody June 16 because of the ankle monitor incident, according to the prosecution.
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.
Keyona Zamora, a Medicaid representative charged with three counts each of Medicaid Fraud and falsifying documents, has already pleaded guilty, but her sentencing is also pushed back with the trial due to her required testimony in the case, court records state.
Luz Scott, who was charged with false imprisonment in the case, had charges dismissed in 2023 and is no longer looped in with the other defendants.
On Feb. 27, 2023, Border Patrol found Melero, who was under the care of Chacon and Hurtado, wrapped in a carpet in the back of Scott’s van, which Chacon and Hurtado were driving across 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.
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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.
