The arrests of three burglary suspects can be attributed to a Las Cruces resident vacationing in Hawaii who, using his cell phone, checked his home video surveillance system and saw three people burglarizing his residence.
Jonathan Paul Hall, 24, Kasady Absher, 20, and 19-year-old Benjamin Barela are charged with one count each of aggravated burglary and two counts of larceny of a firearm. Hall and Absher were arrested Friday at their shared apartment at 201 Three Crosses Ave. Barela was detained Saturday.
The resident, who resides in the Las Colinas neighborhood, was vacationing in Hawaii when, at around 3 p.m.Thursday, April 2, he used a smart phone to check his video surveillance system and spotted two men and a woman inside his home. The homeowner called a relative in Las Cruces who, in turn, called police.
Police responded to the home but subsequently determined that the burglary occurred several days earlier and the incident was recorded by the homeowner’s video surveillance system. The intruders stole various items including cash, jewelry, a 9mm handgun and a .22 caliber rifle.
Investigators learned that the homeowner recognized one of the alleged intruders, Barela, as the son of his housekeeper. Police determined that Hall and Barela broke into the home and then allowed Absher in through the front door.
Las Cruces Police detectives believe Hall, Absher and Barela may also be responsible for other burglaries committed in Las Cruces, Ruidoso, El Paso and on the campus of New Mexico State University. Detectives are continuing their investigation and additional charges are possible.
Absher and Barela are being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with cash-only bonds set at $10,000. Hall had two outstanding warrants for violating terms of his probation and is being held without bond.
Information from Las Cruces Police