SOCORRO, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been three decades since a New Mexico man says his infant brother was murdered and to this day, he’s still fighting for justice. He’s now making a call out to the Attorney General to do something about it, and hoping his podcast can help raise awareness in solving the cold case.
It happened in Socorro back in April 1987. It’s a time that Eric Carter-Landin will never forget. “He passed away. He was 9 months old,” he says.
Carter-Landin says his little brother, Jacob, was killed by their mother’s boyfriend. He says he noticed a pattern of abuse, even before Jacob’s death. “There were some mysterious injuries that started appearing on my baby brother’s body,” he says.
However, no one was ever charged or convicted for the crime. Court documents show back in 2005, New Mexico State Police investigators believed there was enough evidence to charge the mother’s boyfriend for the crime.
In a letter, the Socorro County District Attorney then claimed there was not enough evidence and cited the statute of limitations. “They should’ve done something back then, but they didn’t,” says Carter-Landin.
Because of that, he was never charged and that is why KRQE News 13 is choosing not to name him. “I see these cases like Victoria Martens and Omaree Varela, and all of these other cases that are strikingly similar to my brother’s case, and to see the differences in how those cases were handled. All of those things have been beyond frustrating for me,” says Carter-Landin.
That’s why he’s created a podcast to highlight his brother’s death in hopes of finally finding justice. He is also calling out Attorney General Hector Balderas to do something about it. “There’s no reason why somebody who murdered a 9-month-old baby should be able to live his life freely for 33 years without any type of consequences,” he says.
The Attorney General’s Office told KRQE News 13, it’s aware of the request and will be reaching out to the family. We tried asking the Socorro County DA multiple times if they are still looking into the case, but have not heard back.
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