APD: 17 of Albuquerque’s 60 homicides have taken place at hotels, motels, extended stays

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- The Albuquerque Police Department has launched 60 homicide investigations in 2021.

Homicide detectives were called to three separates scenes late Sunday and early Monday.

APD said motels are part of the problem.

Imesh Vaidya, regional director of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said the increasing homicide count is leading to unwanted attention.

APD said 17 of the 60 homicides they’re investigating have happened at hotels, motels or extended stay properties.

"We are just as frustrated as the rest of the citizens in the city. We want our guests to come and have a safe stay at our properties," Vaidya said. "It frustrates us, it costs us money to have these issues over and over. It’s not as if these owners are sitting and letting this happen."

Vaidya said owners around the city are trying to come up with a solution.

Many have already invested in security and security systems, so they are trying to come up with other ideas.

"We want to go ahead and add extra patrols, extra security to hotel parking lots," Vaidya said. "We’re willing to invest in that, whether it’s a tax we pay or a fee we pay."

APD said they have had consistent patrols, including tact plans, at some of the motels including the Motel 6 on Iliff.