911 emergency. We just found a body in the room. Is it dead? Yes. How do you know he's dead? I was walking by and I see bloody footprints. I called the manager to see if it's okay for me to peek in. And you know for sure he's dead, like he was cold to the touch? >> his whole place is soaked with with blood everywhere. 911 emergency. There's a There's a man murdered in uh one of the rooms here. We called paramedics about an hour ago, but nobody's showing up. >> I'm not sure how much longer it's going to be, but officers and paramedics are aware. When officers showed up at the Days Inn in Albuquerque, New Mexico, they were met with a scene of intense violence. Albuquerque Police Department, if you're in the apartment, make yourself known. Albuquerque Police Department. The hotel room was an absolute bloodbath. Every corner marked by the aftermath of a brutal struggle. >> Police Department. Investigators later determined the victim had been stabbed more than 80 times with a hatchet. Check to see if he's alive. He's still warm. This is fresh. Who just said he was You need any of your gear? No, he he's he has uh apparent uh like the clear spinal fluid like brain fluid is coming out. He's definitely Okay. His lips are gray still. Okay. He's 10-7. Ooh, he has good laceration on the back of his head. Want to step on out? Somebody was in there last night. >> Last night? Yeah, overnight. Hey. I got him. What's taking you? Obviously deceased, blood everywhere. We see footprints coming from here all the way to the unit right over here, for So, here are the footprints. So, that's where the body is. There, and then you start trailing. It starts to slowly taper off. One right here. The very end, right over here. The front desk provided officers with security footage showing a man and a woman entering the room, and moments later, leaving covered in blood. They They go in, come out bloody. They walk down to the end, and then they walk out following the blood. over where my unit is. So much So much blood. I'm not bad. I I had a kind of major step on the drier spots. Oh, [ __ ] Is that blood? Yeah. Yeah, that's it. No way. No, it's actually He There was a struggle up here. It's going to be fun when we clean up. Who does that? Who cleans that stuff up? Us cleaning? Ooh, that sucks. And I bet you they're going to take all the sheets off because it's a mattress and there's blood on the sheets up here. The woman in the surveillance footage was identified as Angel Salazar, age 40. When police questioned her, she claimed it was a male named AJ that was the aggressor. Angel insists she was only a witness, and that when she left the room, she didn't even think the victim was dead. I asked him last time. I went in and heard some bickering. Then when I came out, Mr. AJ had some type of knife in his hand, a machete. We were fighting with him, and then I noticed a lot of blood, and I tried to stop it. When I couldn't stop it, he cut my hand. At that moment, I completely froze. You said that um Ramon was alive when you left. How do you know? Because he was talking. He was cursing. And I was like, "Oh my god. Oh my god." One year later, before she even went to trial, Angel volunteered to go on record to share the full story in detail. This is your voluntary Yes. Did you have any fun? You can stop this anytime. We appreciate you being here. So, um I don't know if you remember me. It's been a little while since we talked, but I'm Connor Cole, I'm the primary detective that's working the case. It's nice to see you again, and I'm glad we're sitting down at the same table again here again, okay? Um I guess before we start talking, one of the things I want to let you know is it's a massive priority to me in this investigation to identify the man that went into that room with you. Yeah. >> Um That, of course, is not It's not all I care about. I want to know all of the facts, but that is a huge priority to me. If there's anything that you've told me before that isn't accurate, um either because you remembered it wrong or because you told me something that wasn't true, I'm not upset about that. Okay. >> I really, really, really Just want to know the >> I just want to know the truth. Yeah. And this is getting the truth is worth all of the time in the world. All of the time in the world. I'm on call right now. I picked up a case yesterday. I am There's I have an abundance of work to do, but it is worth all of the time in the world to get the truth from you. I mean no disrespect when I say this. If that isn't your intention with this conversation, it's not worth any time to sit down and hear anything that is untrue. Does that make sense? >> That makes sense. >> Okay. Um So, what can you tell me? Um Um I'm willing to um if you show me like a photograph and tell you if that's him, it is him. I want to get down to the bottom of this as well. This has been a horrible experience for me. I've never thought I'd be in this experience, and I want to figure this out probably way more than you do. Um I just want to get to the bottom of everything and figure out why this happened and and you know um why was I put in the middle of something like this? So, this impacts you in a compelling way, of course, in a in a intensely personal way, naturally. Um but I'll be entirely honest with you. Um Angel, if I if I had a picture of who did this aside from the pictures from the surveillance footage we wouldn't be having this conversation. True. >> Right? Cuz then I would know who it was and then, you know, God willing they'd be in custody shortly thereafter. So this is where you tell me Okay. >> This is where you help me. Okay. Um as far as I know, he was from Colorado. Mhm. Um he was in his 30s. Okay. Um uh he did tell me that he had uh family members in Texas. Okay. Um I was told that he was from Pueblo. Um I don't know how him and Ramon knew one another. Um I know that they were talking. Um early in the morning when I was getting ready and um it was his uh reasoning why we went into that room. Um Um and I'm sorry, explain that to me. Um so um so I met him through another person. Mhm. And um I was supposed to go in there with another guy. Um but the guy that I walked up to the um to the motel with when I went in to try to go get the room, I didn't have enough money. So, um the guy that I was supposed to have the room with um said he didn't want to, and that's why I landed up with the the other gentleman, the um Justin Antonio guy. Um and So, what what is his last name? Uh Vargas, I believe. >> Vargas? Now, I this is the question I have to ask you. We sat down I believe about a year ago, maybe more than a year ago. I can't remember. >> and there was no last name that you provided them. What I like to know is where is this information coming from now? Um I really sat back and tried to remember every single detail um of what I had conversations with him, what he said to me, um I tried to go over a billion times of you know, everything that went on and you know, I'm trying to do everything that I can to figure this out because I really want to know where he is because he deserves to be you know, locked up, not myself for doing what he did, you know, and I have tried to talk with John and tell him I'm here to try to figure everything out as much as I can. I was hoping I was hoping that the nature of this conversation would be a little different. I'm not I mean, maybe if you were to ask me I'm not sure exactly how I'm supposed to what what you what I'm like Well, and I'm and and I'm just going to be straight up. >> Okay. I think you're being untruthful, Angel. In fact, I'm In fact, I'm very confident that you're being untruthful. >> But I'm not being untruthful, and I know that you feel that way, but I'm not going to put my life on the line for somebody else I don't even know. I don't know this person. I don't have no no ties with anybody and I'm not even from here. And I want to know I want to get to the bottom of this with everything. Okay. I mean I >> Had you ever met Ramon before? No, I don't think no. So, can I One more try. Absolutely, of course. So, as I tell you Coleman, investigates everything, it's going to be in my hands to take this to trial. Um, I I'm going to be straight forward with you. Like I said, you were you are here voluntarily. Yes. And I appreciate that. Um, I'm watching video right now. I'm not trying to Like you see this. You guys are outside of Ramon's room. That is correct. You you and this guy. Yes. What what were you doing? >> Okay, so I what Okay, so when we got the room, okay, me and Justin got the room, okay? Um, the people had my mom my information there because I had stayed there almost the whole, you know, within a month possibly. Um, they knew all my information because I would get rooms there all the time. Um, this person Justin went ahead and he uh kept going in and out of the room that night. Of course. Uh, uh, the motel room that we had is 102 The 102 102 Yeah, 102 106 something like that. And um, I stayed >> the room that that they that Ramon ended up going back into and getting killed in? Uh, Or was it a different room? We're talking about Different different room. So, in to clarify, is is that Justin? Yes, yes. So, the guy the guy that went in there with you that that's that is Justin? Yes. That night he kept going in and out in and out while I I in there and I was washing clothes. Um, then the next morning when I got out of the shower, him and Mr. Ramon were in my motel room. And when I came out of the bathroom, they were saying something about Ramon needed clothes, so Justin was giving him clothes. So, I thought that they somewhat knew each other. Then a few hours after that, then the the manager had us leave, I believe between 9 and 10. Um, and then, before we left there, Is this is you, Justin? That is correct. >> Okay. And Let me see. And then after we after I left my room, he said, "Let's stop by here real fast." And I said, "No, I didn't want to stop there." And he said, "It's going to be like 10 minutes." So, when I went in, then that's how everything happened. >> What happened? I went into the room and they were smoking methamphetamines, and I didn't want to smoke that day because I wanted to um, I was sick and um, I wasn't feeling good and I didn't have very much strength and to go and meet somebody else to go find something to get better. I went into the bathroom, I turned on the light, and when I was in the bathroom, I heard like thudding, like shuffling. Um, I figured that they were fighting and then when I came out of the room, I seen them, you know, Justin he didn't uh Mr. Let me see. Um Marking Mark Mark Mark Mark Yes. Yes. Sorry. Mhm. I'm sorry. I'm really really nervous. >> Yeah. No, I I understand. This is This is a racking process. And um And uh I I tried stopping it. And um when I stopped it, um my finger got cut. And I froze. And then I wanted to get out of there. And I left the room. And then uh I went back for my crystal roller cuz I got crystal rollers. And then I left. And I didn't And may may I interject a little bit, okay? Yeah. Um tell me about going back for your crystal roller. Um I had a a a makeup egg. Mhm. And I went and I got my makeup egg because I'd taken things out of my um suitcase when I went into the bathroom. And I figured like he was fine. I didn't know that he was dead. He was still like yelling and cussing. And I thought he would be okay. And when I left, I didn't think anything was going to happen to him. This is after you left the hotel? Yes. >> May I interject? Um have you seen photographs of the crime scene? No. I'm not trying to This none of I'm not trying to set you up for anything. This is If this was a trial and the lawyers do their thing and they kind of No. >> They know more than I'm asking. Uh the reason I'm asking if you've seen the photos, um this guy was allegedly hacked to death. It was so obvious that he was like just he was beyond dead. So, please understand. I >> There is no way that when you left the room, you thought this guy wasn't like totally gone for good from this earth. There's no way. I need to have a second. Sure. Sure. I just got to turn that off. So, I believe Mr. McCollum sounds like he had a conversation with you about providing new information that hasn't been provided. What new information you have that hasn't been provided? The new information I have is that I believe that the people at the motel had more info than what anyone was saying. Um some of the ladies were saying that they knew that Mr. Malone had money. Um um there was people that were losing drugs in the in the in the motel um with the cleaning people. Um I feel like some of the people knew more than what was going on there than than anything. Um So, you had knowledge Ramon had money? Um from the transcripts, yes. And um So, don't tell me about witness statements. Don't tell me We are here to talk about information that you have based on first-hand knowledge. >> Okay. Please. Don't Don't tell me what other people told me. Oh, okay. Okay. >> I I don't need I genuinely don't need theories from you. >> Okay. Um there was um the um uh the the guy that the card uh the guy that used to work there at night. >> Mhm. Tom would walk around with a machete all the time. Yep, I know that. Let's copy it. Yes. Yep. And you And you you know that cuz that's something you're familiar with. Yeah. >> Yeah, but you know that I already know that. Oh, I I didn't know that. >> You're familiar with the case material, I know. So, things that you know. Okay, things that I know. What else you got? Um Cuz here's the thing. Was Tom in the room with you? No. Okay. So, it wasn't Tom. But Tom was the first person to call. Like, how do I know that Tom didn't do that and then call somebody >> you know Tom didn't do that? Cuz you were in the room when this man did it as you've already told me that. Angel, what are we What are we doing here? I'm not trying to I'm I'm not trying to be argumentative, but Angel, please. If If If you're not going to tell me truthful things that you know, then then I think that Derek and I probably there's no utility for us being here and having this conversation, genuinely. Which is okay, too. >> Yeah, and that's okay. I'm not trying to harangue you. We will have a trial and we'll see what information is available >> about the case? charges against you. But, I don't I don't want to go down for something that I did not do. We don't want you to go Well, you have Well, there's Well, there's two possibilities here, okay? One is that what you're saying is true and I'm here to defend you on that, okay? And that certain things happened that were out of your control. And the second is they don't believe that you don't know the person that was involved. And they believe that you know more about sort of why this thing may have been planned if it was planned. And And that That information would help them. So, one of those is true. It doesn't A jury will sit in the jury box and decide which of those is true. There There There was something about that and I don't And apparently there was something going on with some type of um money and someone was mad at someone. Um I don't know. Um I try not to know too much because I thought the less I knew the better off that I would be. Um Well, you know what a honey pot is, right? No. What do you mean? Okay, a honey pot is a pretty girl who is often used to set somebody up to murder them. Oh, no. I would never I would never rob >> them. I would never rob anyone. Okay, but that's a very common thing that we deal with in our work. Okay. And so a girl is often used to get into the room. Because the person's expecting to be with the girl or whatever. And so that's called a honey pot murder or honey pot robbery. No, I was not there to rob anyone. I'm But do you understand why the authorities are wanting to know, you know, what you know because from their perspective given all the facts that were in play at the time you know, this could look like a honey pot murder. No, I would I would never do that and I didn't have a reason for anything like that. You know, I would never put anyone in in a situation that way. I never um I I've never had any type of background of of of And and I mean and I and I and I'm going to say this again with the with the utmost respect and empathy towards you. I you are a human being and I know that this regardless of the facts, the entire process has been placed a tremendous amount of stress on you. I I know that. Um you know, the purpose of this conversation of course is not to you know, plead your innocence to me I know. because that is, you know, again you will have due process in a room much like this where there will be a jury sitting right there. Um So so I believe the evidence exists to convict you of this crime. Okay? Now, again, my opinion on that matter is simply my opinion on that matter. It's up to the state to prove these things and you have defensive counsel and the rights of the Constitution afforded to you just like any one of us, okay? Um so I I say that to say um there's no there's no need for you to plea your innocence to me. >> Is there any way that you could show me Renee? Or The picture of her? Yeah, can I know can I see a picture of Renee to see if if if I remember. Is there a certain Is there a picture that I could see of of of Have you spent Have you ever been to Pueblo, Colorado? Yes, I've been to Pueblo. I've been to Colorado Springs. How many times have you been to Pueblo, Colorado? Um I don't know. Um I've been to Texas. I've been here. I've been to Santa Fe, Las Vegas. >> Let's just take Pueblo for now and I know like I couldn't tell you how many times I've been to LA exactly, but I could give I could like estimate it, right? Are you Are you able to to estimate how many times? Um maybe 100 times. >> Okay, so you Okay, so you Okay. Yeah, I I live in a small town so we would go in >> Raton and it's right It's right up there, I know. Um Okay. When you spoke with and this is something I want you to really lock into. Okay. When you spoke with who we believe to be Justin the ten possibly Justin, but the man that went in the room with you you told me that you think he might be from Pueblo just now. like while we're not just now, but during this conversation, right? Yes. Do you recall how you came to learn that information? Like did he tell you that? Yes. And again, I'm just thinking just if it were me and let's say it's like somewhere I visited a hundred times and let's say you know, let's say John and I I found out John was from somewhere I've been a lot of times, I might share a conversation like, "Hey, have you been to this place or ever seen this or have you ever done these things?" just cuz it's a place that I know we'd be both really familiar with. Okay. Did you guys talk about anything like that? Like anything you might have had in common up there or any places you would go to? Um no, but he kept talking about his family from Texas and that he was there and his mom had passed away. Um and I told him what would bring him to New Mexico. >> Mhm. And he was saying he didn't really have people, so um he did tell me that um God, I'm trying to remember. All right, our conversation so much been You said he didn't go to New Mexico a lot? Cuz his mom had passed away or I didn't >> I think um he didn't really have anyone. It sounds like he had lost his mom, he had had family in Texas. Was his mom in Texas? >> I think so. >> But he was from Pueblo and I'm kind of making the assumption that if he was from Pueblo and he said he lost his mom and didn't really have anyone, presumably he didn't like have anyone in Pueblo either. Maybe he just was from there. Yeah. He said that he It from Pueblo and um what else did he say? Um he was mad because they um the guy from his house kicked him out. Okay. His house where? Here in Albuquerque, he was staying with somebody. >> Okay. Um it was kind of close to the hot uh Cuz it's a hospital close to the motel, right? The the um It's a hospital, and then there's a park um close to that. We went over this before. We were talking about Presbyterian Hospital and Roosevelt Park. Yes, yes. >> That's what you're talking about. >> Yes. Okay. He was somewhere around there. Um So, she doesn't know the Yeah, the names of Yeah, just that that area. Um and um he was real anxious. Um um I felt like he was he was a little frustrated with something, and I kept thinking it was I was frustrated with me, but I mean well, when he um I I want Is there any way I could see pictures of Renee? The Renee? I think we uh I'll need a minute. Uh but I might be able to I might be able to scare one up for you. Okay. Um So, then I could see like if I can remember her or not. >> Mhm. You're talking family connection. Yes, yes. I'm not Sometimes I'm not good with names, and sometimes I'm better off with faces. If I were to see, then maybe that can refresh my memory with something. >> I think that can be a that can be a a helpful tool. Yes. So, um um >> Yeah, one uh another question I wanted to ask. So, Justin from Colorado, when did he get to Albuquerque? I don't I don't I must ask you that again. Just Just my thinking, not necessarily. But again, when I find out somebody has, let's say, come to Albuquerque from somewhere else, one of the, you know, uh commonly I'll ask like, "Oh, how long have you been in town?" Did Can you remember that? Um Not really. Okay. We were talking about this in the last interview that you did. Kind of a little bit, yeah, but I was I mean, we I I wasn't there to know the guy. I was there to I was tutoring myself to to have a place to stay and like Right. and not be in the streets >> Mhm. and I just want to ask you a question. So, they're going to have to get you back. Um I appreciate you coming down here. Like I said, I'm not going to hide the ball. I'm going to be straight up with you. Um My office is the one that handles any possible plea negotiations. Again, we're not we're not there yet. Uh We have trial on April 7th, uh potentially. I don't think I don't think it's probably probably going to be later on April. Oh, my. Okay. That would be a relief because I have a a must-do trial in Moran with my team. I You know, there are other possible continuances. So, it's your You're going to have to let my heads-up with that. Um so, I'm going to show you some some of the you may may have already may have seen. So, this is right before So, I'm not trying to hide the ball. You have all access to this, but this is Um I've never seen these pictures, though. Well, this is You've seen the picture, but you haven't seen the video. >> Yeah, this is surveillance video that This is right before you guys go on the run. All right? I'm not making any of this up. This is the video. This is the evidence I have going to trial. He's not wearing gloves. And there's going to be a shot Oops, sorry. Still shot of right after right after you guys come out now he's wearing gloves. This guy hacked the hack Ramon Martinez to death in front of you. We know that. So if you're telling us that's not true, like we don't have anything else to talk about. So we know that. Um If you left the room and and you didn't think there was anything like this guy was was totally gone. That's why you left the room. And oopsie This this is what was going on in the room when you guys left. So you got to understand why when I sit here with you and you say I didn't know if he was going to be okay. You know, we we know that you know he was dead. Okay? We know there's a guy in there he had a hatchet. We don't know your entire involvement. But right now we don't know who he is. Ran Martinez, this is the daughter of Ramon. She said she knows you. Does they are they do they know my the father of my kids somehow? And that's what's his name? Antonio. Yeah, we he's in the back. He do they know Antonio? How do they know Antonio? What does that have to do with him Viola? Because I feel like every No, I I met Antonio in Raton, okay? Um Um I wanted up having kids with him. He had a completely different life before I met him. He was incarcerated for 10 years. He knew a lot of people that I didn't know. Um anytime that people would come around he'd keep me in the car, keep me in the house. Um and when I went Um the only reason why people at the motel even knew somewhere to maybe is because my house was in a fire and we had told people there and they were you know I I took it as they were trying to help me. Um but Um Your parents and his parents were in a custody battle over your children. Yes. So, what does that have to do with the guy in the video? Those are people that he knows. >> Yes. There's only one guy there. I cuz I don't want to have the ball. I'm going to walk out of the room with the top of any information where you go to trial. I'm going to charge you with first degree murder after we amended the indictment to felony murder and came out of the room with an extra bag. You guys went >> Here Here's Here's where I believe and I'm going to argue this to the jury. You went in the room to rob this guy and you did. And things went south. Maybe you didn't intend to kill him, but with felony murder, it doesn't matter. If somebody dies I never wanted to try to rob anybody. I didn't know anything. You came out with an extra bag. That was my bag. That was my >> You don't have to say anything. You See, your fate doesn't get decided by arguing with him right now. It It gets decided by a jury. But, he's just telling you what his approach is going to be. Okay? I didn't ask him you what where that bag came from. You went in the room with the one bag you came over with. Came out with an extra bag. Is that not accurate? I want to catch this guy. As As I believe he's more culpable. And I think he's At this point I'm trying to figure it out and I want to know. Are we done? We're done. So, that's it. Thank you. If you If you're If you reached the maximum of where you can go, that's okay. Thank you. This is the day I don't want this night to happen. Very thankful. This is why I appreciate you. This is tough. Here. Thank you. Thank you. We're going to keep working on this until we get some help. Thank you. You got nothing else? No. You got nothing? No. You want to tell me who the guy is? But, that's That's important. On October 16th, 2025, Angel Salazar was sentenced to life in prison for felony murder, second-degree murder, and tampering with evidence in connection with the brutal killing of Ramon Martinez.