Supreme Court orders new trial for Pecos man in fatal shooting

Court says jury should have considered defendant's intoxication level when determining intent for murder charges

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The New Mexico Supreme Court has reversed a Pecos man's convictions for first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, ordering a new trial. The court found the trial court improperly denied the defendant's request to instruct the jury to consider whether his degree of intoxication prevented him from forming the intent required for the murder charges.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of considering a defendant's mental state and level of intoxication when determining criminal intent, especially for serious charges like first-degree murder. The Supreme Court's ruling reinforces that courts must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the defendant when deciding whether to give jury instructions on diminished capacity due to voluntary intoxication.

The details

Mark Valencia was convicted in 2023 of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and other charges related to a shooting incident in Pecos, New Mexico in 2021. Valencia shot and killed his girlfriend Eva Aragon and another man, Steven Singer, after an argument broke out while the group was drinking at the home of Aragon's uncle, David Sturgeon. Valencia also fired multiple shots at Sturgeon, who hid and was not injured. Valencia claimed he did not remember the events after shooting Singer, and evidence showed he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol that night.

  • In 2021, the shooting incident occurred in Pecos, New Mexico.
  • In 2023, Mark Valencia was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders and 12 years for the attempted murder.
  • In 2026, the New Mexico Supreme Court reversed Valencia's murder and attempted murder convictions and ordered a new trial.

The players

Mark Valencia

A Pecos, New Mexico man convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and other charges related to a 2021 shooting incident in which he killed his girlfriend and another man.

Eva Aragon

Valencia's girlfriend, who was killed in the 2021 shooting incident.

Steven Singer

A friend of David Sturgeon's who was killed in the 2021 shooting incident.

David Sturgeon

The uncle of Eva Aragon, who was the intended target of the attempted murder charge against Valencia but was not injured in the 2021 shooting incident.

Justice C. Shannon Bacon

The author of the New Mexico Supreme Court's unanimous opinion reversing Valencia's murder and attempted murder convictions.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“To view evidence in the light most favorable to a certain outcome means a court must indulge all reasonable inferences and resolve all conflicts in the evidence in favor of the outcome.”

— Justice C. Shannon Bacon, Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court (The Roosevelt Review)

“Defendant did not leave the scene, which could lead a reasonable juror to conclude his mental faculties were seriously impaired. After all, reason and experience inform us that culpable people leave crime scenes, not that they sleep at them.”

— Justice C. Shannon Bacon, Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court (The Roosevelt Review)

What’s next

The case will be sent back to the San Miguel County District Court for a new trial on the murder and attempted murder charges against Mark Valencia.

The takeaway

This Supreme Court ruling underscores the importance of carefully considering a defendant's mental state and level of intoxication when determining criminal intent, especially for the most serious charges. It serves as a reminder that courts must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the defendant when deciding whether to give jury instructions on diminished capacity due to voluntary intoxication.