Ruidoso, NM – January 7, 2026 – In a case highlighting both tragedy and tenacity, New Mexico State Police have arrested a local man for allegedly burglarizing a Midtown Ruidoso jewelry store during the chaotic evacuations of the 2024 South Fork and Salt Fires.

Uziah Alaniz, 25, of Ruidoso Downs, faces multiple felony charges after DNA evidence connected him to the break-in at Johnston Jewelers on Sudderth Drive. The burglary occurred while massive wildfires forced thousands from their homes and stretched emergency resources thin.

New Mexico State Police Crime Suppression Bureau agents, deployed to assist with evacuations and roadblocks during the June 2024 fires, discovered the crime in progress. They found a shattered window, smashed display cases, a hammer left behind, and blood evidence throughout the store.

Investigators collected DNA samples on-site and submitted them to the FBI’s CODIS database. A match identified Alaniz, who was already behind bars at the Northeast New Mexico Detention Facility in Clayton on unrelated charges.

A court-approved search warrant allowed agents to collect fresh DNA from Alaniz in October 2025. Lab results in late December confirmed the link, prompting immediate charges.

Alaniz now faces:

• Aggravated Burglary (Deadly Weapon)

• Possession of Burglary Tools

• Larceny (Over $20,000)

• Tampering with Evidence

• Criminal Damage to Property

“This arrest brings some closure to a business owner victimized at the worst possible time,” local authorities noted. “It shows that even during a disaster, those who exploit the situation will be held accountable.”

The 2024 South Fork and Salt Fires burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes and businesses, and forever changed the Lincoln County landscape. Recovery continues for many in the Ruidoso area.

2nd Life Media AlamogordoTownNews.org and affiliated media sites will keep readers updated on court proceedings in this case.

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