By Frost McGahey
Sheriff Raul VillanuevaSheriff Raul Villanueva retaliated against his former deputy, Marcus Salas, for reporting the baby rabbit killing to the NM State Troopers. Yet, from the police report and video it is clear that Salas tried to protect the animal.
Villanueva claims that Salas failed to act, failed to report, and conduct unbecoming an officer. The Sheriff is using the accusations to prevent Salas from being hired by the NM State Troopers.
Villanueva fired Salas back in August 2025, but not content with that, filed a LEA 90 on September 10. With that complaint outstanding, the State Troopers can't hire Salas.
Here's a recap from the original police report:
On August 16, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. Deputy Salas decided to work overtime in the Hachita area. Deputy Gomez, Corporal Torres, and Sergeant Brandon Reese were also going to work there.
They drove to the area on a dirt road in three different patrol vehicles. Deputy Salas led with Reese and Torres in a 2-man unit, and Gomez bringing up the rear in his patrol car.
Deputy Salas spotted a baby rabbit on the roadway and stopped. He exited and approached the rabbit to scare it off. But the rabbit did not run off because it was frightened. Salas picked up the rabbit to put it out of harm's way after he took a few photos.
The others stopped and hovered around Salas loudly laughing. They also took photos/videos with their phones. Deputy Gomez asked for the rabbit, but Salas told him no because he felt Gomez would hurt the animal.
Salas walked away from everyone and began to set the rabbit down when Gomez drew his taser and pointed it at him. The taser was armed with the light fixed on Salas's body. Salas believed Gomez would use it on him so to de-escalate the situation, he handed him the rabbit. Then he asked him if he would hurt the rabbit. Gomez replied no.
Suddenly, Deputy Gomez turned and threw the rabbit into the side of Sala's patrol vehicle with such force that it fatally wounded it. Deputy Salas dispatched the animal as it lay on the ground dying so it would not suffer.
Deputy Salas was upset about the incident and even more upset it was witnessed by two supervisors who did nothing to intervene.
Salas reported the event to Internal Affairs, but the investigation resulted in no action being taken. Deputy Gomez remained with the Grant County Sheriff's office.
Deputy Salas reported the incident to the NM State Troopers who investigated and filed a police report. The investigating officer viewed the video Salas had taken and describes the actions in it.
The video is approximately 65 seconds long. It begins with Deputy Gomez and Corporal Torres standing near the back of a Grant County Sheriff's vehicle. Corporal Torres was holding the rabbit, and Deputy Gomez was standing to his right.
- Sergeant Reese told them to let Deputy Gomez hold the rabbit.
- Again Sergeant Reese told them to let Deputy Gomez hold the rabbit. Deputy Salas took the rabbit from Torres and tells them, "Don't throw it."
- One of the supervisors told Deputy Salas to let Gomez hold the rabbit.
- Deputy Gomez asked Deputy Salas to let him pet the rabbit, and Deputy Salas says, "No, dude."
- Deputy Salas shouted, "You're going to f***ing kill it," to Deputy Gomez. Gomez responded, "I won't throw it. I swear."
- Deputy Salas began to walk away with the rabbit.
- Deputy Gomez drew a Taser and pointed it at Deputy Salas's side where there is little protection. Gomez shouts, "Give it to me now."
- Once more Sergeant Reese told Deputy Salas to let Gomez hold the rabbit while laughing hysterically. Salas was hunching over and lowering the rabbit to the ground.
- Deputy Salas told Gomez that, "he better not kill it" and handed the rabbit to Gomez.
- Deputy Gomez got the rabbit in his right hand and smiled towards his supervisors who were laughing hysterically
- Deputy Gomez suddenly threw the rabbit into the side of the parked Grant County Sheriff's vehicle. A loud "thud" was heard as it struck the side of patrol vehicle.
- Deputy Salas can be heard exclaiming, "damn" while Sergeant Reese and Corporal Torres continue to laugh.
Justin Blacklock, Agent, New Mexico State Police, who filed the Affidavit for Arrest Warrant for Gomez after viewing the video wrote:
Deputy Salas was instructed by Sergeant Reese 7 times to hand the rabbit to Deputy Gomez during the 65-second video. The supervisors took no action to intervene in the situation
Sheriff Villanueva is up for re-election in November 2026.
To be continued…
Grant County Sheriff's Deputy allegedly kills Baby Rabbit while supervisors laugh. (grantcountybeat.com)
