New Mexico teen charged in murder-for-inheritance plot, authorities say

A 19-year-old New Mexico man was charged after authorities said he arranged the killing of his parents to secure a substantial inheritance. Darren Munoz and his 18-year-old friend, Julio Zamora, were arrested after prosecutors say they carried out the plan to murder Munoz’s father and stepmother in Clovis.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by ABC7, Munoz planned the crime for weeks or months with the assistance of two friends, with the aim of taking over his parents’ belongings and finances. He allegedly believed his father, Oscar Munoz, owned an Allsups franchise, a convenience-store brand operating in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. The officers’ affidavit describes a scheme in which Zamora would enter the residence through the garage and shoot the couple as they slept, with another friend ready to carry out the shooting if Zamora could not.

At about 4:50 a.m. on December 15, authorities responded to a call reporting a suspected burglary at the Munoz home in Clovis, located more than 200 miles east of Albuquerque. When Clovis police arrived, Munoz was standing outside the open garage and told officers that everything was fine. He led the responding officer into his parents’ bedroom and later emerged with his hands described as “covered in blood.” Dina Munoz, 71, was found dead from a gunshot wound, and Oscar Munoz, 58, was transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where he later died from his injuries.

Police said Munoz told investigators the security alarm on the garage door woke him up and that he did not hear any gunshots down the hall. He has not disputed the sequence of events leading to the deaths, according to the affidavit, which notes he enlisted the help of Zamora and another friend to carry out the plan. Slated to receive an inheritance, Munoz’s alleged motive centered on taking over the family’s finances and property, the document indicates.

Munoz’s girlfriend spoke with police and provided additional context, saying he had discussed trading an AR-style rifle for a “ghost Glock” or pistol. She also said she saw Munoz placing a 9 mm Glock in his waistband about 12 hours before the killings and accompanied him and Zamora when they purchased 9 mm ammunition. Zamora was arrested outside his home with the 9 mm Glock, which he confirmed was the murder weapon. He admitted that Munoz had asked him to kill his parents, according to the affidavit.

Munoz was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Zamora was charged with two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, authorities said.

The investigation also notes Oscar Munoz’s professional background: his LinkedIn profile shows he was a supervisor at an Allsups store for nearly 24 years. The Allsups brand is owned by Yesway, a convenience-store operator that Brookwood Financial Partners, LLC, privately owns. The Daily Mail contacted Clovis police for additional information.

The case presents a stark example of alleged planning for financial gain turning deadly, with investigators outlining the sequence of events, the alleged motives, and the roles of each participant as the criminal case proceeds through the courts.