PORTALES, N.M. — A Portales man pleaded guilty to Murder, Kidnapping and Resisting, Evading or obstructing an officer, the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s office announced on Monday.
According to the DA’s office, Thomas Lopez, 33, of Portales, was sentenced to 18 years in the Department of Corrections.
Court records obtained by EverythingLubbock.com stated that Lopez showed up to Roosevelt General Hospital with Subrina Calderon on February 24, 2022, and said she fell down the stairs. After Lopez left the hospital, court records said the victim told staff that Lopez was “hitting her with golf clubs, bit her on the ear and punched her with closed fists.”
Calderon told authorities that she was in an “on and off relationship” with Lopez. According to court documents, Calderon said Lopez would not “let her leave a room” at a home on Roosevelt Road 6. Court records stated Calderon told authorities that Lopez took her to a barn on the property, tied her to a chair and punched her in the head. She said Lopez then grabbed a golf club and started hitting her “with full force,” according to court documents.
Calderon told authorities if she tried to leave the home, Lopez would beat her. Calderon said she tried to reach out to her father, but Lopez caught her due to cameras and audio recorders inside the vents in his home. At one point, court records stated, Lopez tried to strangle Calderon with an LED light cord, and told her, “Shut up, you did this to yourself.”
Another woman convinced Lopez to take Calderon to the hospital and told her to “run away and get away from Lopez,” according to court documents.
Calderon was later taken to a hospital in Roswell and passed away. An autopsy revealed that Calderon died due to injuries that were caused by Lopez, court documents stated.
Court records stated authorities arrested Lopez after he was found hiding in the ventilation shafts of the home on Roosevelt Road 6. A press release from the DA’s office said, “The court finds that this is a serious violent offense, and Lopez will have to serve 85% of his sentence.”
