Sudden Death of Rio Arriba County Sheriff Under Investigation by New Mexico State Police

Rio Arriba County commissioners on Monday appointed a major to lead the sheriff's office as New Mexico State Police continued to investigate the death of Sheriff Billy Merrifield at his home early Sunday.

The three commissioners held an emergency meeting in Tierra Amarilla on Monday morning to choose a successor. County Manager Jeremy Maestas said in an interview they unanimously appointed Maj. Lorenzo Aguilar, 42, who also was a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, to serve the remainder of Merrifield's term, which expires in 2026.

The move comes as the circumstances of Merrifeld's death remain unknown. He died unexpectedly Sunday, and state police had not released a cause of his death by Monday evening.

"We believed in his leadership," Commission Chair Brandon Bustos said of the decision to appoint Aguilar. "He had a lot of years of experience, and we came to a unanimous decision that he'd be the best fit for the role of sheriff in the meantime, [leading up] to the election."

Aguilar, a lifelong resident of Rio Arriba County who grew up in Tierra Amarilla, has worked in the sheriff's office for 15 years, he said, moving up within the ranks as sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major. He described the commissioners' decision to appoint him as a "complete surprise."

Merrifield led an agency with about 35 deputies that covers a wide swath of the region, about 5,000 square miles, reaching from the Española area to the Colorado border, Maestas noted. Census data shows the county has about 40,000 residents. He became sheriff by appointment in 2021 after former Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan resigned following his conviction on two felony counts.

Voters opted to retain Merrifield in the 2022 general election after he beat out five other Democratic candidates in that year’s primary.

"Our whole department is grieving for our sheriff that passed away," Aguilar said. "As far as the office, we're going to continue moving forward, as we have."

Merrifield's death drew social media tributes from friends, family, supporters and law enforcement agencies statewide. Some described him as an advocate for his agency and a “steadfast guardian” who cared about public service.

“Sheriff Merrifield served with honor, courage, and an unwavering dedication to protecting others,” the Española Police Department posted on Facebook. “His courage, strength, and unity will be deeply missed.”

Bustos, who knew Merrifield well, said he had "turned the department around." He also recalled how Merrifield had coached him in baseball when he was young. He said he was still in shock over the sheriff's death.

Commissioners wanted to appoint someone to succeed Merrifield from within the sheriff's office to continue the work he was doing, and examined a list of employees before making a decision, Bustos added.

Aguilar noted some of the bigger projects underway within the agency, including a potential new public safety complex. The county received $3 million in state capital outlay for fiscal year 2026 to begin planning and design for the complex, he said.

Aguilar was not second in command at the agency; that role is held by Undersheriff Monica Salazar, who could not be reached for comment Monday. Merrifield had named Salazar undersheriff in 2022, making her the first female undersheriff in Rio Arriba County.

"We saw that [Aguilar] could do it as well, that he could carry out what Sheriff Merrifield's vision was," Bustos said.

"We needed someone immediately," Commissioner Alex Naranjo said. "I guess we could have put somebody on a temporary basis, but no, no, we decided that we would select somebody, and I felt, personally speaking, that we would select somebody within the force."

He added, "I have nothing against the undersheriff. I think she is a respectable lady and everything else. But the fact is, I was steadfast on Mr. Aguilar, only because I have known him for a few years and I have known him to be an extremely intelligent and extremely well qualified individual for that position."

Former sheriff Lujan, who had stepped into the role in fall 2014, was convicted in 2021 of aiding a felon and intimidating a witness. He had been accused of helping his friend, former Española city councilor Phillip Chacon, evade police in 2017 after Chacon had led officers on a chase. He also was convicted of intimidating then-Deputy Cody Lattin by directing him not to tell anyone.

Lujan was released from prison in 2023 after serving 18 months. In November, he sued the city of Española, a former police chief and several former officers in state District Court, accusing them of conspiring against him during criminal proceedings.

Lujan was not the first Rio Arriba sheriff to be sentenced to prison time. His predecessor, Tommy Rodella, is serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison for roughing up a motorist and brandishing a firearm during an encounter in 2014.

___________________

Visit www.santafenewmexican.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.