LINCOLN COUNTY, N.M. — The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has announced the identification of human remains discovered more than two years ago in Ruidoso Downs, closing one chapter of a complex investigation while the case into the circumstances of the death remains active.

On June 21, 2023, decomposed human remains were discovered between two walls inside a building in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. After an extensive multi-agency investigation spanning nearly three years and involving cutting-edge forensic genealogy techniques, the remains have been confirmed as those of Freddy Ray Baca, 50, of Ruidoso.

A Complex Investigation Requiring Innovative Science

With no immediate identification possible, investigators turned to advanced forensic methods to determine whose remains had been found.

In 2024, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office partnered with Marshall University, which assisted in developing a DNA profile from the unidentified remains. That profile was then submitted to Parabon NanoLabs, a forensic genealogy laboratory specializing in Genetic Genealogy investigations.

Parabon Genetic Genealogist Misty worked closely with investigators throughout the process, contacting more than 30 individuals across the United States who shared familial ties to the remains. Though most were distant relatives who had no knowledge of one another, each contact helped investigators build out and narrow down the family tree.

In April 2026, that painstaking work paid off — Misty and investigators located a close relative who confirmed they had a family member who had been missing for years. The identification was subsequently confirmed through dental records obtained by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

Next of kin has been notified.

A Family’s Long-Held Fear Confirmed

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Freddy Ray Baca was last seen by family members in 2018. He was never reported missing, but those closest to him had long feared the worst.

Multi-Agency Effort

This investigation was conducted by the 12th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, a collaborative task force comprised of investigators from:

• 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
• Alamogordo Police Department
• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office
• Otero County Sheriff’s Office
• Ruidoso Police Department

Sheriff Michael T. Wood also extended special appreciation to the following agencies for their contributions:

• Marshall University
• Parabon NanoLabs
• New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator
• Roswell Police Department
• New Mexico Corrections Department, Health Services Division

Sheriff Wood personally recognized Misty, the Parabon Genetic Genealogist, and Deputy Kyle Graham of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, who serves as Commander of the 12th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, for their unwavering dedication to identifying the remains.

“These types of cases take time and research. It takes dedication and determination to achieve the results that were achieved in this case,” Sheriff Wood noted, highlighting the constant communication and collaboration required between investigators, genealogists, and families to piece together the information needed for an identification.

Case Remains Active — Public Assistance Requested

While the identification of Freddy Ray Baca marks a significant milestone, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death remains very active.

Anyone with information related to the death of Freddy Ray Baca is urged to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division at 575-648-2341

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