Former LCPD officer Felipe Hernandez goes on trial June 2. Here's what to know
Hernandez is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. He is accused of allegedly shooting Gomez in October 2023. Body camera footage showed Hernandez firing at Gomez several times as Gomez attempted to drive away after an interaction at an apartment.
Former Doña Ana County District Attorney Gerald Byers announced charges in January 2024.
Hernandez is no longer employed by LCPD, according to the City of Las Cruces. He was a LCPD officer for eight years and was assigned to the Community Outreach unit.
The criminal trial, originally scheduled for December 2024, was moved to June 2025.
The trial is scheduled to last four days with 3rd Judicial District Court judge Richard Jacquez presiding.
On Oct. 3, 2023, Hernandez was bicycle patrolling when he approached Gomez, who was sitting on the driver side of a parked vehicle with Jesus Garcia in the passenger seat. They were parked outside a public housing complex.
Hernandez shouted various expletives and commands at the two people, threatening to use his stun gun on them if they did not comply, according to the incident report. After several minutes of exchanges, exiting and returning to the vehicle, Gomez was attempting to drive away when Hernandez shot at her three times.
Court records note that Gomez's manner of death is listed as homicide by the University of New Mexico Office of the Medical Examiner. The cause of death is reported to be 'gunshot wound of chest.'
'What we can tell you is that from the very beginning of Mr. Hernandez's interactions with Ms. Gomez, ability to manage protocol is non-existent. His interactions with her just on a human level was exceptionally subpar and certainly did not meet the standards that LCPD demands of its officers when they are encountering civilians in the field,' Byers said.
In November 2024, the Sun-News reported on a $20 million settlement to a wrongful death lawsuit that the estate of Teresa Gomez filed in January 2024 in U.S. District Court.
The settlement is the largest civil lawsuit in the history of the City.
The City of Las Cruces, Hernandez, the Las Cruces Police Department, LCPD Chief Jeremy Story, former chief Miguel Dominguez and Deputy Chief Sean Mullen were listed as defendants.
In January 2025, Las Cruces City Council approved a financing option to pay out the settlement.
Per the November 2024 settlement agreement, the City has already issued an initial $2 million from the City legal department liability fund. The remaining monies will be financed through the issuance and sale of Taxable Municipal Gross Receipts Tax Revenue Bonds. The move will not raise taxes.
Hernandez has also filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the Las Cruces Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #8. The lawsuit states that a portion of Union dues are used for a legal defense fund for officers who are involved in officer involved shootings.
The lawsuit was filed on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, Hernandez applied for legal defense funding, but was denied due to what Union representatives described as a lapse in dues in March 2022 that had not been re-instated. According to the lawsuit, Hernandez said his dues were current.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: LCPD officer Felipe Hernandez tried in homicide of Teresa Gomez
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