Darren Munoz and Julio Zamora are alleged teen killers from New Mexico who have been charged with the murders of Munoz parents
According to police reports Darren Munoz and Julio Zamora planned the murders of Munoz parents for sometime and the motive was pure greed. Turns out Munoz (photo left) wanted to get his hand’s on his parents money and convinced Zamora to go along with his plan
On the day of the murder Darren Munoz would call 911 and say that someone had broken into his home. When officers arrived Darren initially would not let officers enter the residence however he finally relented. Darren would go into his parents room and come out with his hands covered in blood
Police would enter the room and found stepmother, Dina Munoz, 71, dead and Oscar Steve Munoz. 58, critically injured. Both had been shot in the head. Oscar Munoz would die from his injuries
Darren Munoz would be taken in for questioning and his story would fall apart. Darren girlfriend would tell police that Munoz and Julio Zamora had been planning the murder for sometime in order to get his hands on his parents wealth
Darren Munoz has been charged with two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal solicitation
Julio Zamora has been charged with two counts of murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. When he was arrested he had the murder weapon on him
Darren Munoz and Julio Zamora News
A Clovis teenager is accused of hiring a friend to kill his parents because he expected to inherit a large sum of money “once they were out of the picture.”
Darren Munoz, 19, is charged with two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal solicitation.
According to the arrest affidavit, Darren plotted with two friends for “several weeks or months” to kill his father, Oscar Steve Munoz. 58, and stepmother, Dina Munoz, 71.
Morning of the murders
Around 4:50 a.m. Monday, police respond to a potential burglary in progress at 1032 York Drive.
Police said Darren called 911 and reported someone was in their house.
When police arrived, the garage door was open. Darren met them outside and said everything was fine.
Police told Darren they needed to check on his parents. But he asked them not to go inside because “his parents slept naked.”
According to the arrest affidavit, Darren then went to his parents room and came out with his hands “covered in blood.”
Police went into the room and found Dina Munoz dead. Oscar was critically injured. Both had been shot in the head.
Oscar later died at a Lubbock hospital.
The Coverup
When Darren was taken in for questioning, he told police he was woken up by the security alarm to the garage door, but claimed he didn’t hear the gunshots.
“It made no sense that Darren would hear the garage door alarm go off but not hear gunshots down the hall from him,” said police in the arrest affidavit. “For Darren to have heard the garage door alarm, he would have had to be awake when the shooting occurred.”
Police said there was no sign of forced entry and nothing was missing from the home.
Murder Plot
According to the arrest affidavit, a friend told police Darren and two of his friends, including Julio Zamora, had been “planning for several weeks or months” to kill his parents. She said Darren wanted to “take over the parents belongings/finances.”
The plan was for Darren to trade an AR rifle for a ghost Glock — which is a handgun without a serial number.
Surveillance video shows Darren hide a pistol in his waistband before getting out of his car at 5 p.m. Sunday, less than 12 hours before the murders.
His girlfriend told police Darren wanted his father’s money and Julio had agreed to kill Darren’s parents in exchange for some of it.
“The belief had been that Darren’s father owned the Allsups convenience store franchise and that if he was dead, the money would come to Darren,” said police in the arrest affidavit.
The girlfriend said she was with with Darren and Julio and when Julio bought 9 mm ammunition, and the plan was for Julio to come through the garage and shoot Darren’s parents in their bed.
The Inheritance
“Darren believed he would inherit a large sum of money if his father and step mother were out of the picture,” said police in the arrest affidavit.
Oscar was a longtime regional manager for Allsup’s convenience stores, according to his LinkedIn page.
According to police, Darren made a plan with Julio Zamora and another friend. Julio agreed to carry out the shooting, and the other friend said he would do it if Julio didn’t.
The Murders & Second Arrest
Police said Darren was waiting on Julio with the garage door open at 4:42 a.m.
According to the arrest affidavit, Julio racked the gun, went inside and shot Darren’s parents while they slept in their bed.
Darren then called 911 and lied about a burglary.
Julio was arrested Monday as he was leaving his home with a 9 mm Glock.
Police said Julio admitted Darren had asked him to kill his parents, and that the gun he was carrying at the time of his arrest was the murder weapon.
Zamora was charged with two counts of murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Teen hired friend to kill parents for large inheritance ‘once they were out of picture’
