LEVI CHAVEZ, THE FORMER APD OFFICER ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIS WIFE, IS A FREE MAN. THE JURY ALSO FOUND CHAVEZ NOT GUILTY OF EVIDENCE TAMPERING. JURORS REACHED THEIR VERDICT IN THEIR SECOND DAY OF DELIBERATIONS FOLLOWING A FIVE WEEK TRIAL IN SANDOVAL COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.
ONE JUROR TOLD CHANNEL 7 NEWS THAT THERE WASN'T EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN COURT TO FIND CHAVEZ GUILTY WITHOUT A REASONABLE DOUBT. ONE EXPERT TESTIFIED THAT THE DNA FROM BOTH CHAVEZ AND HIS WIFE WERE ON THE WEAPON USED TO TAKE HER LIFE. ANOTHER DISCUSSED ENTRIES FROM HER DIARY THAT SEEMED TO SUPPORT CHAVEZ'S CLAIMS THAT TERA CHAVEZ WAS SUICIDAL.
PROSECUTORS ALLEGED CHAVEZ KILLED TERA WITH HIS DEPARTMENT ISSUED GUN AT THE COUPLES HOME IN 2007, AND TRIED TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A SUICIDE.
BUT CHAVEZ COULD STILL FACE A CIVIL TRIAL … AND AS HE LEFT THE COURTHOUSE IN SANDOVAL COUNTY TUESDAY AFTERNOON, HE SAID HE'S READY FOR ANYONE TO BRING ON THAT CIVIL CASE.
