Updated

Updated · KOB 4 · Aug 9

Albuquerque Police Arrest 43-Year-Old in Dante Conley Killing, Seizing Stolen SUV

Updated

Updated · KOB 4 · Aug 9

Albuquerque Police Arrest 43-Year-Old in Dante Conley Killing, Seizing Stolen SUV

Q: How did neighbors’ observations and license plate readers lead Albuquerque police to Collin Terrazas after Dante Conley’s death?

Neighbors gave police the key vehicle clues that started the trail to Collin Terrazas. They reported suspicious activity at Dante Conley’s home in the early morning hours, including a blue Ford F-150 pickup backed into the yard, and they noticed Conley’s black Lexus SUV was gone. Investigators then used those observations to identify and track the pickup. Detectives tied the blue F-150 to Terrazas through surveillance and automated license plate reader data, which showed the truck’s movements and helped police connect it to him as its owner. The license plate reader information led officers to a home in the South Valley, where they found the truck. At the same time, the missing Lexus became another critical lead. Police later located Conley’s black SUV in the Journal Center area of northeast Albuquerque. When officers tried to contact Terrazas there, SWAT was called in and took him into custody in the parking lot. In short, neighbors’ eyewitness accounts gave detectives the suspect vehicle and the missing victim vehicle, and license plate reader technology helped police turn that information into a location and an arrest.

3 articles · Updated · KOB 4 · Aug 9

SWAT officers arrested 43-year-old Collin Terrazas after police linked him to the killing of 34-year-old Dante Conley at Conley’s northeast Albuquerque home early Saturday.
A 911 call led officers to the Arizona Street house, where they found Conley dead; investigators say Terrazas spray-painted security cameras, pried open a deadbolt and stabbed—and possibly shot—him around 4:30 a.m.
Nearly three hours later, Terrazas allegedly drove Conley’s black Lexus SUV to a smoke shop, with bloodied hands and statements admitting he killed someone, took money, a gun and a vehicle, and tried to burn the house.
Automated license plate readers tied a pickup truck seen at the home to Terrazas and a South Valley address; police later found Conley’s SUV in a Journal Center parking lot, where SWAT took him into custody.
Terrazas now faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence.