Santa Fe, NM – The following is a news release provided by the New Mexico State Police.
On March 2, 2022, at around 11:30 a.m. the New Mexico State Police, was asked to assist in a pursuit involving the Santa Fe Police Department and a suspect involved in a kidnapping and carjacking that had just taken place at around 11:00 a.m. in Santa Fe.
State Police learned that Santa Fe Police Officers initiated the pursuit with a white Chevrolet Malibu near Sawmill Road and St. Francis Drive. The pursuit continued to Interstate 25 where the suspect drove in the wrong direction, traveling south in the northbound lanes of Interstate 25. Near milepost 286 just north of Old Pecos Trail a crash occurred involving at least 5 vehicles, two Santa Fe Police patrol units, Malibu, two uninvolved vehicles, a pickup truck, and a blue car.
A Santa Fe Police officer identified as Officer Robert Duran, 43, of Rio Rancho, NM, and the driver of the pickup truck identified as retired Las Vegas, NM firefighter Frank Lovato, 62, of Las Vegas, NM suffered fatal injuries and died in the crash. They were pronounced deceased on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator. The driver in the blue car was transported for non-life-threatening injuries. The events of that crash are still under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Uniform Bureau and New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.
After the crash, a female who identified as Jeannine Jaramillo 46, of Albuquerque, NM, told officers she was the kidnapping victim. Jaramillo exited the white Chevrolet Malibu and was placed in the back seat of a Santa Fe Police Department Unit. She was later transported to a local hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released. According to Jaramillo and witnesses, an unidentified male subject fled the area on foot. He was described only as wearing a red shirt, black pants, and a black jacket.
Through the investigation, Investigations Bureau agents learned the Chevy Malibu was reported stolen from Las Vegas, New Mexico on February 28, 2022. The owner of the vehicle was warming up the Malibu and left the key fob in the vehicle at the time the vehicle was stolen. The key fob for the Chevrolet Malibu was located in the back seat of the Santa Fe Police vehicle Jaramillo was placed in after the crash.
The New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit executed a search warrant on the Chevrolet Malibu. Officers extracted data from the vehicle’s computer which the data showed only the driver seat was occupied at the time of the crash with the white truck.
Jaramillo’s DNA standards along with the driver’s airbag from the stolen Malibu were submitted to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Crime Lab for comparison. The Crime Lab’s report concluded the major DNA profile on the airbag matched with Jeannine Jaramillo’s DNA profile.
On March 5, 2022, at approximately 1:28 p.m., State Police agents were able to locate and successfully arrest Jeannine Jaramillo without incident in Albuquerque. She will be booked into the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center on the following charges:
Murder in the 1st degree (felony murder), contrary to NMSA 1978 §30-02- 0l(A)(2), or in the alternative; Homicide by vehicle (reckless/evading an officer), contrary NMSA 1978 § 66-8- lOl (D) and (F)
Murder in the 1st degree (felony murder), contrary to NMSA 1978 §30-02- 0l(A)(2), or in the alternative; Homicide by vehicle (reckless/evading an officer), contrary NMSA 1978 § 66-8- lOl (D) and (F)
Receiving or transferring stolen vehicles or motor vehicle (2nd offense), contrary to NMSA 1978 § 30-16D-4A
Aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, contrary to NMSA 1978 § 30-22- 1.1
Tampering with Evidence, contrary to NMSA 1978 § 30-22-5
“I believe the arrest of Jeannine Jaramillo has made our community safer”, said Tim Johnson chief of the New Mexico State Police. “Her actions put the entire public in danger and took the lives of two dedicated public servants.” “I hope that holding her accountable will provide some closure to Officer Duran and Frank Lovato’s family.”
