Las Cruces, NM – Zachary Babitz, 38, was arrested on Saturday evening in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in connection with the August 6, 2024 murder of 83-year-old Gordon Peter Wilson. Babitz was wanted by the Santa Fe Police Department on charges of murder, robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and parole violation.
According to Santa Fe authorities, Wilson was fatally shot during an apparent carjacking outside a Best Buy store in Santa Fe. Babitz fled the scene in Wilson’s 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Following the incident, law enforcement agencies across New Mexico launched a manhunt for Babitz, leading to his capture in Las Cruces.
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber expressed gratitude for the coordinated effort between Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and other law enforcement agencies involved in the search. “This brings us closer to justice and healing,” Webber said in a statement.
Babitz has a lengthy criminal history and was released from prison in March 2024. Authorities are also investigating him for additional crimes, including a robbery at an Arby’s restaurant in Las Cruces and the theft of a Chevrolet Impala from a woman.
During a separate incident on August 10, Babitz and a female accomplice were involved in a robbery at the Arby’s restaurant in Las Cruces. The pair allegedly forced a woman from her vehicle at gunpoint, before crashing the stolen vehicle. Babitz was captured shortly after, but his female accomplice remains on the run. She is believed to have altered her appearance to avoid detection. Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying her.
Anyone with information about the accomplice’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Las Cruces Police Department at 575-526-0795.