TIJERAS, N.M. — A grand jury this week returned a sweeping indictment against 18-year-old Adlai Mestre, who now faces multiple charges in connection with one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking crimes in recent memory — the October 2024 killings of his own family members and the family dog inside their Tijeras home. The charges stem from a brutal incident that unfolded on October 13, 2024, when authorities believe Mestre shot and killed his mother, Bertha Huerta Conde, his father, Raymundo Mestre, and his 17-year-old sister, Brielle Mestre, before turning his weapon on the family’s dog.

Mestre has been formally indicted on three counts of First-Degree Murder, three counts of Tampering with Evidence, and one count of Animal Cruelty.

According to investigators, the teen’s actions did not end with the killings. Evidence suggests that Mestre dragged the bodies of his family members outside the home with the intention of burying them, in what officials described as a disturbing attempt to hide the crime. In addition, Mestre allegedly made efforts to clean up the scene inside the house, further complicating the timeline and investigative process.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene after a concerned relative requested a welfare check when they were unable to reach the family. Upon arrival, officers made the grim discovery and immediately secured the residence as a crime scene. The brutal nature of the murders — and the young age of both the victims and the alleged perpetrator — has left the small, tight-knit Tijeras community shaken to its core.

Neighbors and friends of the Mestre family expressed profound shock and sorrow following the news of the murders. “They were a beautiful family,” one longtime neighbor said. “Bertha was kind, Raymundo was hardworking, and Brielle was just beginning to plan for college. It’s hard to imagine something like this happening, especially within your own home.”

As the investigation unfolded over the following weeks, authorities built a case supported by forensic evidence, witness statements, and digital records, leading to the indictment announced this week. Prosecutors say the crimes were premeditated and executed with chilling calculation.

District Attorney officials have not released specific details about a potential motive, citing the ongoing nature of the case and the sensitivity of the victims’ family members. However, they confirmed that the evidence presented to the grand jury was substantial enough to support the full range of charges, including the additional count of Animal Cruelty, which recognizes the killing of the family’s beloved pet as part of the violent spree.

“This is a profoundly disturbing case,” one official close to the investigation commented. “It touches on every emotion—grief, confusion, disbelief—and now the legal process must begin to hold the suspect accountable for these heinous acts.”

If convicted, Adlai Mestre could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. His arraignment is expected to take place in the coming days, with a trial likely to follow in the next year. In the meantime, the community continues to reel from the loss of a family once seen as warm, quiet, and close-knit.

A memorial now sits outside the Mestre home — a collection of flowers, photographs, and messages left by friends, neighbors, and loved ones who are still trying to process the unspeakable tragedy.

As the legal process moves forward, one thing remains clear: the lives of Bertha, Raymundo, and Brielle Mestre will not be forgotten. Their memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew them and in a community that will forever mourn what was lost on that devastating day in October.