New Mexico Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Killing His Mother

In a heartbreaking end to a 2022 homicide case, 30-year-old Martin Caballero-Diaz received a 21-year prison sentence in the New Mexico Department of Corrections on October 1, 2025, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his mother, 57-year-old Joann Caballero.

District Court Judge Benjamin Cross imposed the sentence, which included enhancements for Caballero-Diaz’s habitual offender status and discharging a firearm during the crime. Under New Mexico law, he must serve at least 18 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Details of the Crime

The tragic incident unfolded on the evening of August 24, 2022, when Clovis Police officers responded to a welfare check at 1216 ½ N. Lea Street. Inside, they discovered Joann Caballero’s body, hidden beneath a pile of clothing. An autopsy confirmed she died from two gunshot wounds.

Caballero-Diaz was found in the bathroom of the adjoining residence at 1216 N. Lea Street and was taken into custody without resistance.

The Major Crimes Unit—a joint task force including the Curry and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Offices, Clovis and Portales Police Departments, and the Ninth District Attorney’s Office—led the investigation.

At the scene, investigators recovered spent shell casings and a pistol. Forensic tests by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety confirmed the pistol was the murder weapon, and DNA evidence linked it directly to Caballero-Diaz.

Family’s Emotional Impact

During sentencing, the courtroom was filled with grief as family members delivered emotional victim impact statements.

Destiney Caballero, the victim’s daughter and the defendant’s sister, described the family’s pain and disbelief:

“There are no words that can fully capture the pain of losing my mom,” she said. “But it is even harder to accept when her life was taken by the very person she loved, raised, and trusted.”

Lisa Baca, Joann Caballero’s sister, remembered her as a woman of great kindness:

“Joann was a kind-hearted and compassionate person who always put others before herself. Her sudden and violent death has left a void in our lives that can never be filled.”