CHAVES COUNTY, N.M. — Deputies say they found the body of a homicide suspect earlier this week.

“The sheriffs received a phone call, from a rancher in reference to an individual that he believed to be deceased. He originally didn’t know if the individual was sleeping or deceased,” said Undersheriff Charles Yslas with the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office. 

Officials say they found the body of 34-year-old Matthew Villarreal Monday afternoon.

Last Friday, the Roswell Police Department asked the public for help finding Villareal, who had been missing since February.

“Based on the family description, based on the descriptions that were provided from the missing person reporter that had been filed by his mother on February 27, through the Roswell police department, as well as identifiers there at the scene it was it was determined that he, in fact, was Matthew Villarreal. He was out on condition of release,” said Yslas.

This all started back in August. Villarreal was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in a drive-by shooting that killed Christopher Herrera.

Roswell police say Villarreal was the driver of the car. They also said the deadly shooting was in retaliation for another shooting that had happened the day before. The undersheriff didn’t give us a lot of details on how they found Villarreal, but did say they are investigating it as a homicide.

The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information to give them a call.