Suspect fought with girl's uncle

David Levi Chavez, who is accused of killing a 6-year-old girl, apparently had something against her uncle.

In early May, a little more than a month before the girl’s death, Chavez, 20, allegedly got into a fight with the uncle, Jeffrey Sanchez, in the Gallinas Canyon. It resulted in Chavez’s arrest.

In the early morning hours on June 15, Chavez asked for a ride to the 300 block of Union Street, where Sanchez lived. And then he fired his shotgun, according to a criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court this week.

Sanchez, however, wasn’t the victim. The shotgun blast struck Jasmine Garcia, who was sleeping in her mother’s bed during the early morning hours, police said. She had just completed her kindergarten year.

The Las Vegas police made the case their top priority, and Crime Stoppers put out a reward of $2,000, with Albuquerque attorney Will Ferguson adding another $8,000.

It turns out the reward may have had something to do with the arrest of Chavez. On Sept. 10, the police received information through Crime Stoppers about the weapon and the car used in the crime, reports state.

The result: Police arrested Chavez on Tuesday night, and two days later, a magistrate judge set his bond at $2 million cash-only.

On May 8, Sanchez told officers that he and his friends were fishing in the Gallinas area when he heard his dog crying. He walked toward a red pickup and saw the canine jump out. He recognized Chavez and asked him what he was doing with his dog. They argued and left each other, reports state.

However, when they saw each other in the same area later that day, Chavez came across the river and punched Sanchez in the eye, according to a criminal complaint. Sanchez threw Chavez to the ground. Chavez got up and threatened Sanchez with a large fishing knife, the complaint states.

A forest ranger intervened, and Chavez once again pulled out his knife, state police reported.

Chavez told officers that Sanchez had approached several times to start a fight, reports state.

State police arrested Chavez on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia, a marijuana pipe.

Three days before Jasmine Garcia’s death, prosecutors dismissed the assault charge. Chavez, in return, pleaded guilty to possessing the pipe.

According to the murder complaint, Chavez and others were partying June 14. Included in the group was Martin Romero, who was reportedly with Chavez the day of the Gallinas incident.

Later, Romero’s girlfriend was asked to give a ride for Chavez and his girlfriend, the complaint states.

Romero agreed to take the two from the 2700 block of Hot Springs Boulevard to buy a burrito at Allsups. They then drove to Chavez’s home at 507 New Mexico Ave. Chavez and his girlfriend went into the house, and Chavez came out with a shotgun.

Chavez told Romero that he wanted to go to Sanchez’s house in the 300 block of Union Street. They traveled to just south of the house. Chavez got out of the car and walked toward the house, the complaint states.

Romero, however, drove away. As he was doing so, he heard a single gunshot, police said.

Romero later told officers that Chavez informed him that he had disposed of the weapon.

Las Vegas police responded not long after, finding Jasmine Garcia’s body on the bed.