Insets (left to right): Julio Zamora and Darren Munoz (Curry County Sheriff’s Office). Far right: Oscar and Dina Munoz (Facebook). Background: The home in Clovis, N.M., where Oscar Steve Munoz and Dina Munoz were found shot to death (Google Maps).
Two New Mexico teens are headed for trial after prosecutors say they teamed up to murder one of the boys’ parents for inheritance money.
Darren Munoz and Julio Zamora, both 19, have learned their respective trial dates after both were charged with first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Munoz’s father, 58-year-old Oscar Steve Munoz, and stepmother, 71-year-old Dina Munoz. As Law&Crime previously reported, Munoz’s parents were found dead by police after they received a call on the night of Dec. 15, 2025, about a possible burglary at the home in Clovis, New Mexico.
Darren Munoz greeted police at the door and told them “everything had been fine there,” but hesitated to let officers inside.
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According to an arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime, Darren Munoz told police that he did not want them going inside “because his parents slept naked.” He eventually let officers inside, where they found both adults shot in the head. Dina Munoz died at the scene. Oscar Munoz was taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police detained Darren Munoz for questioning, and he described being asleep while a purported burglary was taking place in the home. Investigators determined that elements of his story did not add up, including his claim that he heard an alarm go off on the other side of the house, but not gunshots.
After speaking to Darren Munoz, police questioned his girlfriend, who reported that she spent the weekend at the Munoz residence while his parents were away and returned to her home on Sunday morning.
According to the affidavit, a mutual friend of Darren Munoz and his girlfriend called the Clovis Police Department and told a sergeant that “there had been a plan in place for several weeks or months” between Darren Munoz, Zamora, and another friend to “kill Darren’s parents.” The alleged motive was to “take over the parents’ belongings/finances” once Oscar and Dina Munoz were “out of the picture.”
Darren Munoz’s girlfriend allegedly told police, “Darren had wanted his father’s money and Julio had agreed to kill Darren’s parents in exchange for the money when Darren got some.” According to police, Darren Munoz believed that his father “owned the Allsup’s convenience store franchise.” Local ABC affiliate KVII reported that Oscar Munoz was a regional manager for Allsup’s convenience stores.
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A search of Darren Munoz’s phone records uncovered an alleged text conversation between Darren Munoz and Zamora leading up to the alleged murder, including “video snaps” after it was carried out.
Police said that Zamora was apprehended at his home the same day. During an interview with police after receiving his Miranda rights, he allegedly said that “Darren had asked and solicited him to kill” his parents. Zamora had a Glock on him when he was arrested and reportedly admitted to police that it was the gun used in the crime.
Both teenagers remain in custody at the Curry County Jail, where they are being held without bond. Darren Munoz was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal solicitation to commit murder; his trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 25, 2027. He is due in court on Jan. 7, 2027.
Zamora was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. His trial is scheduled for June 21, 2027. He has a court date scheduled for Dec. 14.
The post Teen allegedly hired by his friend to kill his parents for large inheritance once they were ‘out of the picture’ will have to face a jury first appeared on Law & Crime.
