Kerr pleads not guilty to kidnapping charges in August murder | Local news

A suspect charged in connection with the kidnapping and fatal shooting of a woman pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges at his arraignment Monday in New Mexico's 5th District Court in Roswell.

Billy Kerr, 47, of Roswell, pleaded not guilty to one count each of first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping during his arraignment via video from the Chaves County Detention Center (CCDC), according to court records.

District Judge Jared Kallunki has scheduled Kerr's trial for May 6.

Blake Dugger, Kerr's attorney, told the Roswell Daily Record in an email Wednesday that he and his client were looking forward to the court date.

According to court records, Kerr is charged in connection with the kidnapping of 34-year-old Amanda Sifuentes last month. Sifuentes was found dead in the area of ​​East Brasher and School Road on the afternoon of Aug. 15. Sifuentes' body was found on the side of the road and her black Hyundai Sonata was discovered nearby. Officials later determined Sifuentes had died from two gunshot wounds to the head.

The discovery of Sifuentes' body came a day after a witness reported to the Chaves County Sheriff's Office that he saw Sifuentes being dragged into the back seat of her Sonata at 1400 Christian Road by an unknown man at gunpoint.

Testifying during a court hearing last month, the witness said he saw Kerr standing near him and appearing nervous when a Hispanic man wearing gloves and carrying a black handgun got out of a tan Chevy Equinox parked nearby.

“He walked up to this young lady (Sifuentes), pointed a gun at her and I clearly heard him tell her she was dead,” the witness said.

After forcing Sifuentes to empty her pockets, the shooter forced her into the back seat of the Sonata before climbing into the back seat with her, according to the witness.

Kerr was reportedly in the driver's seat of the Sonata. They drove west around the property before leaving, followed by the Equinox.

The sheriff's office interviewed Kerr and arrested him one day after Sifuntes was found dead for violating his probation. He was held at the CCDC and served with a warrant for kidnapping on August 19.

On August 30, Kallunki granted a request from prosecutors to keep Kerr in custody. He also ordered that the charges against Kerr for kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping be transferred to district court.

Kerr is the only person charged in the case so far, but Undersheriff Charles Yslas confirmed Wednesday that investigators are working to file charges against at least one other person.