A 20-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting his mother 11 times whilst she slept in their family home. Four other family members, including a child, were also asleep at the time of the horrific incident.
Kevin Marin, from Santa Teresa, Texas, is now facing charges of aggravated battery and attempted murder following his arrest on Monday, October 13.
On that day, Sunland Park police responded to reports of a shooting at a residence on Ashwood Drive. Investigators discovered Marin’s mother heavily bleeding in the hallway outside her son’s bedroom.
She was immediately rushed to Transmountain Hospital in El Paso and later transferred to University Medical Center, where doctors confirmed she had suffered 11 gunshot wounds. A day later, her condition was described as critical, with the patient being placed on life support.
Marin is currently being held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center as prosecutors push for him to be detained without bond under New Mexico’s pretrial detention statute, according to Law and Crime.
Local news outlet KTSM previously reported that around 3 am on Monday, Sunland Park police officers discovered an active crime scene at a home in the 5000 block of Ashwood Drive in Santa Teresa.
Marin’s brother, who was also present at the residence, reported hearing Marin screaming late into the night. He said he told Marin to go to sleep, a sentiment echoed by their mother who reportedly told Marin, “he was acting crazy,” according to court documents.
The brother revealed that their mother had taken Marin to his bedroom and stayed with him. Hours later, the house became a crime scene.
Around 3 am, the defendant’s brother was awoken by the sound of gunshots from the bedroom, where he found their mother with 11 gunshot wounds. He swiftly transported his critically injured mother to hospital.
Back at the house, police reportedly discovered multiple shell casings from a semi-automatic rifle/carbine. Court documents indicate that these casings were found in Marin’s bedroom, two bullet holes were identified on the west-facing exterior of the house, and a bloody shoe print, along with blood droplets, were found under a Jeep Wrangler parked in the driveway.
Another woman who was present during the shooting returned to the house after the victim was taken to hospital, only to find Marin casually sitting on the living room couch, according to local NBC affiliate KTSM.
Marin was arrested and charged later that day.
Police records show that the 20-year-old has a criminal history, stemming from a November 16, 2023, arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, as well as manufacturing/delivering a controlled substance.
After initially making bail, he was re-arrested and taken to prison on a $150,000 bond in December 2023. Then in March of last year, he was released after posting a split-bond, where part of the amount is secured by a private bail bondsman.
His court date for these 2023 charges for aggravated assault was set for February 6, 2026.
