In November of 2019, Jacqueline Vigil was getting ready to back out of her driveway, when Talamantes-Romero allegedly hot and killed her. Talamantes-Romero’s sister turned over his Jeep to police, which contained a matching spent shell case.
Samuel Vigil, the husband of the murdered woman, has now filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit goes for blood. It specifically names Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, Albuquerque Police Officer Cody Tapie, as well as the City of Albuquerque. The suit accuses them of negligence.
Talamantes-Romero was previously deported a staggering three times. He was deported in 2006, and again in 2008. Then he served 4.5 years in a New Mexico State prison, released, and was arrested in Colorado. After serving time in Colorado, he was deported for his third time in 2019. He is a self-identified member of the Juaritos Maravilla street gang.
In 2018, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller ordered the police to stop identifying the immigration status of illegal aliens who commit crimes and to cease cooperation with Federal immigration authorities. Albuquerque became a so-called “sanctuary city” for illegal aliens.
The suit alleges that Talamantes-Romero returned to Albuquerque in September of 2019 and began on a non-stop crime spree, including an attempted murder, in the lead-up to the murder of Jacqueline Vigil. Federal authorities were never notified, and Talamantes-Romero was not detained. Had Albuquerque police officer Cody Tapie notified Federal authorities, Talamantes-Romero would have been facing fifteen years in Federal prison for a laundry list of crimes.
