The Santa Fe County warrant officer suspected of shooting and killing a fellow deputy early Tuesday morning has been charged with an open count of murder. Tai R. Chan, 27, a warrant officer with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, was charged Tuesday afternoon and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center without bond. Chan is suspected of shooting fellow Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Martin, 29, on the 7th Floor of Hotel Encanto sometime before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Las Cruces Police officers located Martin in the lobby of the hotel, on the ground near the elevator doors. Martin was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his back and arm. He was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Las Cruces Police investigators learned that the deputies were passing through Las Cruces after transporting a prisoner to a detention facility in Arizona. As the two were on their return trip to Santa Fe they rented a room at Hotel Encanto, 705 S. Telshor Blvd., at around 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. Sometime Monday evening the two went to three restaurants including Dublin’s Street Pub where it’s believed they consumed alcohol and got into a heated argument.
At around midnight Chan and Martin returned to Hotel Encanto and to their shared 7th Floor room. Investigators learned that witnesses heard what they believed to be an argument between two men prior to hearing gunfire on the 7th Floor. Witnesses also claim to have seen Chan armed with a handgun on the 7th Floor. The investigation revealed that several rounds were fired as Martin attempted to flee the 7th Floor and enter an elevator.
Las Cruces Police officers cordoned off the hotel’s lobby and conducted a systematic search for the suspected shooter. At the time, LCPD officers did not know the victim and shooter were law enforcement officers. LCPD officers located Chan in the stairwell near the roof of the hotel. Chan was taken into custody without further incident. A Glock semiautomatic handgun, believed to be Chan’s duty weapon, was located nearby.
Hotel officials said the property had an approximate 80 percent occupancy at the time of the incident. No other injuries were reported. Las Cruces Police have been in communication with officials at the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office who have been helpful in the investigation.
Information from Las Cruces Police