June 23: Joel Arciniega-Saenz, a homeless person who Las Cruces police say admitted to killing a man by cutting off his head and using it as a soccer ball, was denied bond during a pre-trial detention hearing in court Thursday.
Arciniega-Saenz will return to court again on June 29 on the first-degree murder charge he faces in the death of 51-year-old James Garcia in Apodaca Park. Police have said in addition to Arciniega-Saenz’ confession, they recovered a bloody knife used in the attack.
Investigators say 25-year-old Joel Arciniega-Saenz confessed to using a knife to decapitate 51-year-old James Garcia, and that Arciniega-Saenz then kicked the victim’s head like a soccer ball.
On Sunday night, Las Cruces police were called after the victim’s body was found next to Apodaca Park.
Arciniega-Saenz was also found at the park covered in blood and officers say there was bloody knife stuck in the ground near him.
He is charged with first degree murder.Arciniega-Saenz claimed Garcia had raped his wife four years ago and at some point also stole his belongings, and court documents stated Arciniega-Saenz also stabbed the victim multiple times and cut off his finger.
Learned Arciniega-Saenz was accused of shooting and killing a man at a Las Cruces motel in 2017, but those charges were dismissed. He was also accused of vandalizing two businesses in April.
The department said officers were called out to the park late Sunday night to reports of “suspicious circumstances.” When officers arrived, they discovered the body of a man.
Police said the man died of “apparent foul play”, but did not specify how the man died.
Police arrested a suspect nearby, and said there was no ongoing danger to the community.Police did not provide any further information on the victim or the suspect.
