Missing woman found murdered in forest; suspect arrested

SILVER CITY, N.M. – New Mexico State Police arrested and charged a man in the murder of his missing wife.

Armando Zamora on Sunday admitted to fatally beating 39-year-old Erica Zamora with an axe. Erica was reported on Friday as missing after she wasn’t seen or heard from since Sept. 26 – the Sunday before the report was filed.

According to a State Police investigation, the Zamoras went to the forest, during the morning of Sept. 26, to cut firewood. Armando claimed they returned to his home before he dropped Erica off at her home Sept. 28 at around 7:30 a.m.

State Police investigators located where the Zamoras were cutting wood because Armando was wearing an ankle monitor as a condition of his probation for criminal sexual contact of a minor. A sergeant searched the area and found a woman’s body matching Erica Zamora’s description. Medical investigators confirmed Erica’s identity and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Armando Zamora was arrested and charged on an open count of murder. Zamora was booked into the Grant County Detention Center with no incident.