Justice For ABEL

This started as a memorial poem for my friend, Abel Abeyta. But the more I wrote, the more I learned. The more I learned, the angrier I became. None of this is okay. Something is deeply wrong, and if you care about this town or the people who live here, I ask you to read this and share it.
By Stacy Ann Martin

JUSTICE FOR Abel Abeyta 
A crash in the night where the cross-streets meet,
A sudden stillness on a darkened street.
But the truth wasn't born from the impact or sound—
It started with bullets that brought a man down.
They whisper "self-defense" to soften the stain,
To shelter the hands that inflicted the pain.
But if danger was real, if the fear was sincere,
Why wasn't the first call for help made right there?
Instead came the cruelest, venomous lie,
Spoken so softly: "Only he knows why."
A coward's refrain, so callous, so cold,
Mocking the family left grieving untold.
Now they hide in the darkness, they run from the light,
Carrying secrets that haunt every night.
For if conscience were clear and the truth on their side,
They wouldn't be running. They wouldn't need to hide.
An innocent man has no reason to flee;
He stands in the daylight for all eyes to see.
Yet the badges we trust to defend what is right
Turn away from the truth and walk out of sight.
They look at his record instead of the facts,
Close the file, move on, and never look back.
Because Abel had struggled, they branded his name,
As though one past mistake erased who he became.
To the system it's paperwork, filed and stored away,
Another closed folder at the end of the day.
A number. A docket. A case put to rest.
While the questions keep burning inside every chest.
But a life isn't ink on a government page,
And no badge can silence a family's rage.
Abel was steady, dependable, kind,
The sort of rare soul that's not easy to find.
Six feet of strength with a meticulous mind,
The kind who'd leave no unfinished line behind.
Patient and gentle in all that he'd do,
The world was simply better because it had you.
A father. A brother. A loyal best friend.
The kind of good heart you expect never to end.
His laughter still echoes through everyone near,
His memory lives on though he isn't here.
He poured all he had into the son that he loved.
That love didn't die—it still rises above.
And Abel doesn't need to speak from the grave
To tell us the justice he never was gave.
The missing phone call. The tracks in the dirt.
The silence surrounding the depth of the hurt.
Those are the witnesses. Those are the signs.
No matter how people rewrite the timelines.
Truth doesn't disappear because someone decides
To bury it underneath paperwork and lies.
We'll keep saying your name through the rumors and pain,
Through unanswered questions again and again.
We'll speak it with hope, and we'll speak it with pride,
Until justice is served beneath New Mexico's skies.
You were shot in the back six times after turning away. Whether you held a weapon or not, you were walking away when the first shot was fired. 5 more followed. Yet your death was ruled a justifiable homicide.
I cannot understand that.
Like too many cases before, it feels as though the file was closed simply because it was easier than searching for the truth.
So I ask:
Where is the justice for Abel Abeyta?
I ask.
I beg.
I plead.
Because his life mattered.
He was more than a case number. More than a report. More than a headline that disappeared when the next story came along.
Imagine, for just a moment, that it was someone you loved lying in that coffin.
Wouldn't you want every question answered?
Wouldn't you want every fact examined?
Wouldn't you want someone to keep saying their name?
I am not a judge.
I am not a jury.
But neither is a badge.
Justice deserves a full and honest pursuit.
Abel deserved that.
His family deserves that.
His son deserves that.
And until those questions are answered...
I will keep saying his name.
Abel Abeyta.

Abel Abeyta was my friend, and his death has left a deep void in our community. Abel was shot in the back six times—this was no act of self-defense. Recent findings have brought to light that the shooter had animosity towards Abel, and on that tragic day, he took an opportunity that none of us can accept as justified. People in our community are pretending it's okay and closing their eyes to a grave injustice.

I started writing a memorial poem for Abel, but as I delved deeper into what happened, I realized this wasn’t enough. The more I learned, the angrier I became. It wasn’t just about the loss of a friend; it was about a disturbing failure to seek justice and protect our community from violence.

There is something deeply wrong when a man can be murdered, and the consequences are swept under the carpet. We must stand together to ensure that the legal system takes this seriously and that criminal charges are filed for the murder of Abel Abeyta. The heart of our town and safety for everyone living here depend on it.

Abel was not just a friend; he was a part of our collective family. His unjust death must not be ignored nor dismissed. If you care about truth and justice in our town, stand with us and make your voice heard.

Please sign this petition to demand action from our community leaders. Let’s ensure that Abel receives the justice he deserves, and let us show everyone the strength of our community by holding those who do wrong accountable.