ALAMOGORDO — An Otero County jury has convicted Ty Huntington of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the December 2024 shooting death of Mario Reyna, 12th Judicial District Attorney Ryan Suggs announced Monday. The verdict was returned Friday, September 4, following a trial in Otero County.

The deadly encounter grew out of what prosecutors described as a dispute over a truck. Reyna had sold the vehicle to Huntington’s family for $2,500, but the two sides disagreed over whether the full price had ever been paid. What began as a disagreement over money escalated into a back-and-forth struggle for possession of the truck — and ultimately ended in Reyna’s death outside his own home.

A Dispute That Turned Deadly

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the confrontation began on the evening of December 13, 2024, when Huntington and his stepmother took the truck while Reyna was at a Home Depot. During that encounter, prosecutors said, Huntington tried to provoke Reyna into a fight, and when Reyna refused, Huntington pulled a handgun and warned him not to interfere. Reyna reported the incident to law enforcement.

The next day, Reyna recovered the truck. He removed the stepmother’s belongings, returned them to her, and told her she was free to contact police — adding that he would be at his home.

Roughly 45 minutes later, surveillance footage showed Huntington driving past Reyna’s residence, apparently searching for the vehicle. After Reyna arrived home, neighborhood cameras captured Huntington pulling up in the same vehicle he had driven the night before at the Home Depot. Armed with a .45-caliber handgun, Huntington jumped Reyna’s fence and entered the property.

Reyna came outside and confronted Huntington from his doorway. Prosecutors said Huntington declared he was taking the truck and once again tried to goad Reyna into fighting. When Reyna said he was calling the police, Huntington fired a single shot, striking Reyna in the abdomen, then fled the scene in Reyna’s truck.

Officers and first responders attempted life-saving measures, but Reyna died at the scene.

Investigation and Arrest

The 12th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit — a multi-agency team drawing from the Alamogordo Police Department, Otero County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Ruidoso Police Department — took over the investigation. Huntington was located and arrested two days after the shooting without incident.

The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Ryan Suggs and Deputy District Attorney Melissa Garcia.

“This case is a tragic reminder of what can happen when someone chooses a firearm and violence to settle a dispute. No disagreement over money or property is worth a human life,” Suggs said. “I want to thank the investigators of the Major Crimes Unit, our prosecutors, victim advocates, support staff, law enforcement officers, first responders, and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this case to trial and seek justice for Mario Reyna and his family.”

What Comes Next

Sentencing will be scheduled before Chief Judge Daniel A. Bryant. Huntington faces a life sentence for the murder conviction, along with additional potential penalties tied to the tampering-with-evidence conviction and his habitual-offender status.

The District Attorney’s Office extended condolences to Reyna’s family and loved ones and thanked the jurors for their service to Otero County and the justice system.

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