LAS CRUCES – A man accused of fatally stabbing his father in 2020 pleaded guilty to second degree murder on Wednesday.
Lucas Daniel Gonzalez, 27, has been charged with first degree murder after police said he killed his father, Alfredo Gonzalez.
Police said Lucas stabbed Alfredo because Lucas believed his father would kill him.
In the early hours of July 8, 2020, police responded to the 5800 block of Desert Mesa Place to find Alfredo, 73, covered in blood outside the house.
Lucas was found in the house with blood stains on his hands and clothes and cuts on the palm of his hand, according to police. After he was in custody, police said that Lucas admitted the stabbing and said, “I can’t believe this. What did I do?” and “I killed my father.”
Lucas initially pleaded not guilty of first degree murder but changed his plea to the lesser charge of second degree murder during a hearing on Wednesday.
Lucas was due to be sentenced on Wednesday, but prosecutors requested that the hearing be postponed so that victims can read their statements of effect. Third District Judge Douglas Driggers granted the motion and started the hearing to deliver the verdict in six weeks.
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Justin Garcia is a public safety reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 575-541-5449 or on Twitter at @ Just516garc.
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