Donald Trump refers to the gruesome Las Cruces murder case during the rally in Albuquerque

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — Former President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday and referenced a gruesome murder case in Las Cruces while getting some facts wrong.

Trump's Halloween visit to New Mexico focused largely on his tough stance on combating illegal immigration.

In his 2020 campaign, Trump lost New Mexico by four points.

“I am here for a very simple reason. “I like you a lot and that’s good for my reputation in the Hispanic or Latino community,” Trump said.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement after Trump's visit.

Donald Trump's rambling and incoherent speech today clearly demonstrated why New Mexicans rejected his candidacy twice and why we will do it again on Tuesday. As Trump visited the most Hispanic state in America, he continued to hurl insults against Hispanics and defended his rally by calling our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters “trash.” Today in Albuquerque, the former president trashed the Affordable Care Act and made clear that his only “plan” is to remove 324,000 New Mexicans from their health insurance and increase premiums for 843,000 New Mexicans with pre-existing conditions. The New Mexicans reject Donald Trump's anger, division, lies and chaos and support Kamala Harris' vision of a new path forward with a clear-sighted, effective plan to improve the lives of all Americans. The choice is clear and I call on New Mexicans to join me in supporting Kamala Harris on Election Day, November 5th.

During his rally, Trump referenced a 2021 murder case in Las Cruces.

Trump mentioned the Joel Arciniega-Saenz case at his rally.

In Las Cruces, Mexico, an illegal alien criminal was arrested but released from jail… on an unsecured bond. Unsecured bond. What is that? A bond should be secured. He was accused of beheading a man, mutilating his body and throwing his head around like a football in a public park. The victim's head was found 30 feet from his body. He had been stabbed multiple times and his middle finger had been removed. “I guess that was a sign,” Trump said. “This person is not being charged the way he should be charged.”

Joel Arciniega-Saenz was indicted by a grand jury in June 2021 for the murder of James Garcia.

He is charged with first-degree murder.

Trump mentioned that Arciniega-Saenz was undocumented, but KFOX14/CBS4 reached out to the Dona Ana District Attorney's Office to confirm Arciniega-Saenz's citizenship status.

In response to the request, the Dona Ana prosecutor's office submitted Arciniega-Saenz's grand jury indictment document as evidence that he is a U.S. citizen.

Jail records show he is currently in custody at the Dona Ana County Detention Center and is being held without bail.

Arciniega-Saenz is accused of stabbing Garcia multiple times and cutting off his head during an incident at Apodaca Park on June 20, 2021.

When police arrived, they learned Garcia had been decapitated and stabbed multiple times, the documents said.

Arciniega-Saenz was found in the park with dried blood on his hands and a bloody knife at his side.

When police investigators examined the crime scene, they also found Garcia's middle finger.

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During questioning with Las Cruces police, Arciniega-Saenz told investigators that he was homeless and had been sleeping in Apodaca Park.

Arciniega-Saenz allegedly told investigators that Garcia raped his wife four years ago, but he refused to identify his “wife.”

He then described to police investigators what led to the killing.

Arciniega-Saenz said he, his wife and Garcia hung out four days before the murder.

The court document says Arciniega-Saenz told police the three had fallen asleep.

He said when he and his wife woke up, Garcia had disappeared with their belongings.

Arciniega-Saenz said he followed Garcia to Apodaca Park to confront him.

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During the confrontation, Arciniega-Saenz took a knife from Garcia, stabbed him multiple times and cut off his head.

He then told investigators that he dragged Garcia's body into the street and played soccer with Garcia's head.

Arciniega-Saenz has a criminal history in Las Cruces.

KFOX14/CBS4 is working on an update on the Arciniega-Saenz case.

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