Tucumcari fugitive captured in Clovis

A Tucumcari fugitive charged with attempted murder was arrested Monday afternoon in the parking lot of a Clovis eatery.

Acting on a tip, Clovis police and Curry County deputies located Moses Earl Ingram in a vehicle at Pops Place on Main Street, according to Clovis Police Capt. Patrick Whitney.

Ingram, 31, is wanted in Tucumcari on multiple felony charges, including the attempted murder of Amber Simpson, 27, of Tucumcari on July 24.

“It is a great relief for our family,” said Scott Simpson, Amber’s father. “We were excited when we found out. Our lives can finally go back to normal.”

Simpson said his daughter had been in hiding since being released from the hospital. He said she was unable to return to work out of fear of Ingram.

“The company (where Amber Simpson works) even asked her not to return to work,” Scott Simpson said. “They were afraid for Amber and her co-workers as long as Ingram was out of jail.”

Ingram was released twice from the Quay County Detention Center while he awaited trial to face charges that he assaulted Amber Simpson in April.

Ingram was released on an own-recognizance bond by Magistrate Judge Joel Garnett after his April arrest. But records show Garnett revoked the bond May 23 after Simpson filed complaints accusing Ingram of threatening her.

Then District Court Judge Albert J. Mitchell released Ingram on July 21 for two weeks so he could visit his children, records show, ordering him to “stay away” from Amber Simpson.

Ingram was supposed to return to the jail last Tuesday, but on July 24 police say he beat Simpson again, leaving her bloody in her own car, which he used to elude police.

“I would like to personally thank the courageous individual who took the time and effort to call us about Mr. Ingram’s location and the willingness to remain on the phone until officers could take him into custody,” Tucumcari Police Chief Roger Hatcher said in a press release. “This is a great example of the cooperative effort between the community and law enforcement.”

Ingram on Monday was being held at the Curry County Adult Detention Center, Whitney said.