Police arrest suspect in double homicide, Amber Alert abduction
CLOVIS, N.M. — Thanks to the work put in by multiple law enforcement agencies, 10-month-old Eleia Maria Torres is safe. The man who is accused of abducting her and murdering her mother is behind bars.
26-year-old Alik Isaiah Collins was taken into custody early Monday morning. Authorities got a tip that Collins was staying at a home in Abilene, Texas where they found him and Eleia. Eleia was taken to the hospital to be checked out.
They do not believe he knew the victims, but they are still following leads to find a possible motive.
“We are not done yet, we want to make sure this case is rock solid,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI special agent in charge. “We want to make sure that this suspect pays for all the heartache we are all feeling today.”
Eleia’s mother, Samantha Cisneros, and another woman, Taryn Allen, were both found shot to death at Ned Houk Park just outside of Clovis on Friday. They were both from Texico – about 15 minutes east of Clovis.
On Sunday, police shared a timeline of what happened. They said Cisneros and Allen had stopped for food at a restaurant in town before heading to the Dollar Tree. A witness told police he heard gunshots at the park around 4:30 p.m. Friday. That’s when officers found Cisneros and Allen near a minivan.
Police also found Cisneros’ five-year-old daughter with a serious gunshot wound to the head. She was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital.
Officers then learned that a baby should have been with Cisneros. An Amber Alert was issued for Eleia, who was found safe Monday morning.
“It was one of those things that, when we recovered Eleia, you take a big sigh of relief, because they are happy she is back,” Bujanda said. “But at that same moment, you feel the pain of the souls we have lost. And if that doesn’t get you here, then I don’t know what does.”
Collins is being held on charges of aggravated robbery and assault on a peace officer. Other charges are still pending.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information on this case is asked to come forward.
Information can be provided anonymously by using the Clovis Police Department’s tip411 program. Anonymous tips can also be provided to the Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000