Murder victim’s mother files suit against district court, other entities

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Angel Alire has been fighting for change since the day her son, Devon Heyborne, was murdered in 2021. 

Investigators say Devin Munford killed Heyborne while he was out on a GPS ankle monitor. 

Alire has since accomplished peaceful protests, meetings with Mayor Tim Keller and the Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, and other public appearances about fighting for change, but says she’s still falling short.

“I feel that in the course of doing all that, that still not a lot has changed,” said Alire.

Now she’s taking her fight to court. Attorneys filed a civil suit this week against the Second Judicial District Court, Pretrial Services (that oversees the GPS ankle monitor program), Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners, and the MDC Community custody program.

Attorneys filed it two days after Heyborne’s “Angel-versary.” He died on April 23, 2021. 

“We’re just kind of trying to soak it all in and deal with it– so we’re having a tough week,” said Alire.

The suit claims negligence under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act– an act that can grant government entities and employees immunity. It alleges the employees involved were “full-time salaried public employees whose duties are to maintain public order,” which waives the immunity.

The suit also alleges “Munford violated the geographic restrictions multiple times prior to the killing, but none of the violations were reported.”

“What I really, I guess want to come out of all this is recognition of the flawed system, especially from the people that run it. I really want these people to stop making excuses and blaming each different entity,” said Alire.