A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the deaths of four family members shot dead at their house in a rural area of New Mexico.
Police spokesman Ray Wilson said Diego Leyva was extremely drunk at the scene.
Authorities added the teenager dialled 911 around 3.30am on Saturday and allegedly told a dispatcher that he had killed his entire family.
Victims Leonardo Leyva, 42, Adriana Bencomo, 35, Adrian Leyva, 16, and Alexander Leyva, 14, were found with suspected gunshot wounds at the home festooned with Christmas decorations in Camino Escondido, Belen near Valencia County.
Diego has been booked into Albuquerque’s juvenile detention centre on four open counts of murder after being released from hospital where he was initially taken for detoxification.
According to Wilson, when county deputies arrived at the scene, the suspect walked outside with his hands in the air and surrendered without incident.
Officers reported finding Diego’s dead relatives inside and a handgun on the kitchen table.
Wilson said the county sheriff’s office handed the case over to the State Police for investigation of the quadruple homicide.
“This incident is in the preliminary stages of investigation,” Wilson told reporters.
“New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents and Crime Scene Team are processing the scene and conducting interviews to learn what led up to these tragic events.
“Once more information is learned and the investigation is complete, it will be presented to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.”
The Albuquerque Journal reported police vehicles could be seen parked outside the home, which sat in a rural and undeveloped area.
Crime scene tape stretched across the road as officers investigated the killings.
A wreath was tied to the white wrought iron fence, the top of which was strung with colourful Christmas lights.
Through the gate, a small Santa figure could be seen standing beside the front door, a few feet away from a lit-up festive tree.
Locals expressed a sense of disbelief on Sunday after learning of Diego’s identity.
Vanessa LaGrange, his former teacher, told the Guardian: “I would never have thought that something like this would happen and that Diego would be capable of doing something like this. Everyone’s in shock.”
Matt Propp, the county’s fire chief, said: “We have every reason to believe that one of the victims is a volunteer firefighter.”
