ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A mother is pressing forward in her fight for justice after a mistrial was declared in the case of the alleged execution-style murder of her son.

But the mistrial has nothing to do with the attorneys or suspects.

“I’m not trying to be a cinch. But that same gentleman is sleeping again yesterday. He said out loud multiple times that he doesn’t give a s— anymore about this and just wants it to be done,” Judge Jennifer Wernersbach said Wednesday. “Based on a variety of issues that have come up during jury deliberations and the motion made by the defense, there does now exist a necessity for a mistrial.”

That decision once again delayed justice for the killing of Antonio Jaramillo, who prosecutors say was tied up and killed inside his own home in 2020.

Prosecutors charged Walter Eddings and Charles Robinson with first-degree murder for the killing. They accuse Eddings of pulling the trigger but say Robinson planned it out, with the intention of robbing Jaramillo of drugs and money.

Prosecutors also charged three other suspects in the case but they all took plea deals. They testified against Robbins and Eddings as part of those plea deals. Their testimony was a part of the five-day trial that went to the jury Monday. Jaramillo’s family sat in and relived the tragedy all over again.

“Having to hear all the testimony, to see all the evidence and the pictures, it’s just as hard as having to bury your child,” said Sally Sanchez, Jaramillo’s mom.

After her son’s death, Sally Sanchez co-founded the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice group. They support families affected by gun violence and advocate for the passing of stricter laws. 

Still, not a day goes by that Sanchez doesn’t think about her son. She even carries a special bear, named Tony Bear.

“He’s my emotional support bear. I dress him in clothing that my son would wear and he goes with me everywhere,” she said.

For the past week, Sanchez brought Tony Bear into the courtroom to hear testimony. As the trial went on and deliberation took days, she could sense the trial was hitting a dead end.

“The jurors, I don’t think they were fully committed, to be honest. You could see some of them falling asleep and just not really paying attention. And I think that has a lot to do with all of the objections that happened during the trial,” she said.

Sanchez says the suspects made the hours and hours of testimony so unbearable.

“They were laughing at us. They were staring at us, trying to intimidate us, and nobody did anything about it. And that’s not fair to the victim’s families,” she said.

Fortunately, Sanchez had loved ones and the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice there with her.

“I had an amazing support system. I had the Crusaders who were sending me dinners every night so I didn’t have to worry about cooking and and stuff,” she said.

Sanchez is one of the first Crusaders to experience this step of the justice system. Now, she knows how to better prepare other grief-stricken parents.

“The system is meant for the criminals and not the victims, because they can get away with chewing gum. They can get away with staring at us and mocking us. Yet we give them one look, and we’re the ones in trouble. So very different, and families need to be prepared for that,” she said.

Sanchez is already preparing for the next trial.

“He had a tattoo right here of the Albuquerque Dukes, and so I’m going to go and get one in his honor for the next trial,” she said.

Sanchez says she expects Robinson and Eddings will face another murder trial in November.

MORE:

• Jury deliberations begin in 2020 murder trial