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‘We Are Heartsick’: New Mexico Man Allegedly Shot His Judge Wife, Several Pets, and Himself

 
Judge Diane Albert

Judge Diane Albert. Her husband Eric Pinkerton allegedly shot her, several pets, and himself.

A New Mexico man allegedly killed his wife, who was a municipal judge. He also shot their pets before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.

“He left a voice-mail to his friend stating that he murdered his wife and his dogs and his cat,” someone said in dispatch tapes obtained by KOAT. “And he is about to murder himself.”

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Judge Diane Albert, 65. Her husband, Eric Pinkerton, 63, was the alleged gunman. The shootings happened near the 800 block of Ranchitos Road, deputies said.

‘This is believed to be a Murder-suicide,” the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said. “A friend of the decedents contacted deputies after receiving a troubling message from Eric Pinkerton. Upon arrival deputies located the decedents inside the residence along with several dead animals.”

Albert served in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.

“We are heartsick hearing of the untimely death of Diane Albert, our elected municipal judge,” Mayor Donald T. Lopez and Village Administrator Ann Simon said in a statement. “She was a longtime Los Ranchos resident, a brilliant mind, and a friend. We can’t ignore that this happened on the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women. Our thoughts go out to her family and all those affected.”

[Image via Village of Los Ranchos Albuquerque]

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