Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Jimmy Whitlock
A Clovis man on Thursday pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Jimmy Whitlock, 45, is accused of killing 16-year-old Jesse Villanes-Lerma at an apartment on Sycamore Street in Clovis on Aug. 14, 2022.
District Judge Ben Cross sentenced Whitlock, who will be required to serve 85% of his sentence, according to a news release from District Attorney Quentin Ray.
A second suspect connected to the homicide, Deionte Fannin, 29 at the time, remained at large last week, Ray said. Charges against Fannin include murder and aggravated burglary.
Whitlock fled Clovis after the shooting but was arrested by U.S. marshals on Aug. 23, 2022, in Raleigh, N.C.
Court records show Whitlock and Fannin forced their way into the apartment near Hillcrest Park that was occupied by Villanes-Lerma and Robert Reboe.
A struggle followed between Reboe and the intruders, before Villanes-Lerma went to help Reboe.
Security camera footage shows Whitlock shoving Villanes-Lerma to the ground and shooting him in the neck, court records show.
Clovis Police Chief Deputy Trevor Thron said Villanes-Lerma was in the apartment because Reboe had been allowing him to live there for about a month.
Reboe's 11-month-old son was also in the apartment.
Reboe told officials he recognized the man who shot the teen as Whitlock because Reboe had spent time in jail at the same time as Whitlock.
Records show Reboe was arrested in April 2021 on charges of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. Records show Whitlock was also in the Curry County Adult Detention Center about that time on charges of aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jake Boazman prosecuted the case. Whitlock was represented by Portales attorney Sandra Gallagher, who did not respond to requests for comment before deadline.
District Attorney Quentin Ray stated in a news release:
"This last year, the Legislature increased the maximum penalty for second-degree murder from 15 years to 18 years. This crime occurred before the legislative change and was the maximum possible sentence for second degree murder."
