Lead detective, digital specialist testify in Devon Munford trial

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – We’re one day closer to figuring out what a jury will decide about the fate of Devon Munford.

Investigators say Munford went on a violent rampage when he was out of jail on an ankle monitor.

“Devon Munford is the poster child for a broken revolving door in our criminal justice system,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. 

Testimony came straight from the lead detective on Munford’s case Wednesday. She heard his side of the story days after the death of Devon Heyborne in 2021. 

“During the interview, he asked if I was there for the murder,” said the detective.

“How many times does he interject on his own ‘Is this about the murder?'”

“I believe it’s approximately two or three times,” the detective said. 

She testified Munford lied several times during her 90-minute interview with him.

“I asked him if he knew Devon Heyborne, he told me ‘No.’ I asked him if he was friends with Devon Heyborne, he tells me ‘No.’ However, as the interview goes on he acknowledges yes he does know Devon Heyborne,” said the detective. 

The defense argued those lies don’t add up to guilt, and raised questions about the weapon Munford said he used, and where he said Heyborne was shot.

Collette Bridgewater, a forensic specialist on the Digital Intelligence Team, went through every piece of digital evidence in this case. That includes Snapchat videos where she testified Munford rapped about the murder. 

“What Mr. Munford said was ‘I kicked that ni*** door in, shot him right in his face with a slug,’” said Bridgewater.

Beyond that evidence is evidence of Munford’s movements on a GPS ankle monitor. He was out of jail on a separate gun-related felony charge from three months earlier.

“Six weeks prior to the murder itself, he had violated the terms of that GPS restriction 113 times. That’s disgraceful. It’s absolutely shameful,” said Torrez. 

Torrez used Munford’s case in a call for serious change to pretrial services during his time as the Bernalillo County district attorney.

He says he’ll continue the fight in his current office. 

“We have been having this public debate for a very, very long time. But I think the onus is on the people who keep telling everyone that this system is working, the burden is on them to start explaining to the public, why they think this alternative approach is properly resourced and properly organized to protect people,” said Torrez. 

Closing arguments are expected to take place Thursday.