GUILTY NM - Patrick Larkin, 63, found deceased, restaurant owner, Llano Quemado, 26 Aug 2019

[JerseyGirl]

Patrick Larkin, owner of World Cup Café in Taos, was reported missing on Tuesday (Aug. 27), a day before law enforcement found an unidentified body in the sagebrush near Cuchilla Road in Ranchos de Taos, about a mile from where he was living.

The body was found in the deep brush in the area of Cuchilla Road Wednesday morning.

Police first suspected the deceased person might have been the victim of a wildlife attack, but Martinez said he saw "no signs of that occurring" once he saw the body.

The case has been passed on to a state police criminal investigation unit.

Larkin had left his home before dawn Tuesday morning to check on a goat that was bleating in his yard, but he did not return.

Taos coffee shop owner goes missing

 

[imstilla.grandma]

New Mexico State Police have confirmed that a body found Wednesday (Aug. 28) near Cuchilla Road in Ranchos de Taos was that of Patrick Larkin, the well-known owner of a popular downtown Taos coffee shop.

Larkin's death is being investigated as a homicide, according to Lt. Mark Soriano, a Department of Public Safety spokesman. "The investigation is ongoing," said Soriano in an email.

Word of his disappearance spread rapidly through the town Wednesday, with people putting the word out through flyers and on social media. By early afternoon, word spread just as rapidly that he had died. Police did not officially confirm that the body found in Ranchos was that of Larkin until Thursday afternoon.
State police: Death of World Cup Cafe owner under investigation as homicide

 

[imstilla.grandma]

After the body of a Taos coffee shop owner was found about a mile from his home Wednesday, the State Police launched a homicide investigation and said Friday there is a “person of interest” in the case.
Police have 'person of interest' in Taos coffee shop owner's death

 

[RDW]

A bit more info here.
State police identify 'person of interest' in death of World Cup owner

 

[JerseyGirl]

A bit more info here.
State police identify 'person of interest' in death of World Cup owner

Updated Sept. 1 at 11 a.m.
As of 11 a.m. Sunday (Sept. 1), 8th Judicial District Attorney Marcus Montoya said New Mexico State Police did not have a suspect connected to this case and no warrants had been obtained for their arrest.

State police identify 'person of interest' in death of World Cup owner

Commissioner Candyce O'Donnell sent this response Monday (Sept. 2):

Being out of town on Sunday, I was unable to respond to your voice message until this morning. You are correct that I did not follow protocol in confirming information about the ongoing investigation. Under pressure from a constituent who wanted more information than what was being reported on, I acted in haste.

I apologize to law enforcement, to the community, and to your readers for not following
procedure. I will continue to pray that swift justice is brought to pass, knowing that anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law or jury.

My heart goes out to everyone impacted by this tragic loss. Those who care about the welfare
of the community have been traumatized by this homicide, including myself.

County commissioner turns rumor mill in death of Taos coffee shop owner

 

[JerseyGirl]

Steele trial wraps up early

The jury starts its deliberations Friday (Feb. 19) after the trial of Gregg Steele – the man accused of killing World Cup Cafe owner Patrick Larkin – wrapped up today (Feb. 18) with a quick round of state’s witnesses.

Jury deliberations begin Friday (Feb. 19) at 8 a.m.

 

[YaYa_521]

Jury needs just 1 hour to convict man of murdering cafe owner

• Feb 20, 2021

Jurors in Raton deliberated for only an hour Friday before finding a Taos County man guilty of second-degree murder and other counts in the fatal shooting in August 2019 of World Cup Cafe owner Patrick Larkin.

Taos County man gets 21 years in cafe owner’s death

• Jun 3, 2021

Gregg Steele, 53, convicted in February of second-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence in the 2019 death of his next-door neighbor, Taos coffee shop owner Patrick Larkin, was sentenced last week to 21 years in prison.

Judge denies request for new trial in Steele case

• Jul 7, 2021

A Taos County man recently sentenced to 21 years for the murder of a beloved Taos coffee shop owner was denied a request for a new trial last week by Eighth Judicial District Judge Jeffrey Shannon.