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SANTA FE, N.M. — In a major legal victory for the defense, prosecutors have dismissed a second-degree murder charge against a former City of Santa Fe Public Utilities employee accused of fatally shooting a coworker in 2022. The dismissal, filed in District Court, marks the conclusion of a high-stakes case that drew widespread attention—and underscores the effectiveness of Cron’s legal team.
Defense attorney Dan Cron, who represented the defendant throughout the proceedings, welcomed the decision as a just and overdue resolution. “From the beginning, we maintained that this case was far more complicated than the charge suggested,” Cron said. “We’re grateful that the prosecution ultimately acknowledged the weaknesses in the case and acted accordingly.”
The defendant, who worked as a collections specialist, had been accused in the March 2022 shooting of his colleague outside a Santa Fe office building. He was arrested and held for several weeks before being released to house arrest at his parents’ home in Pecos, where he remained under strict conditions as the case proceeded.
Cron and his team challenged both the factual and legal basis for the charge, pushing back on early characterizations of the incident and raising questions about evidence that remained under seal. In pretrial hearings, Cron argued that the case lacked sufficient clarity and context to justify a murder charge, citing potential issues with witness accounts and investigative conclusions.
“My client was put through two years of intense scrutiny, and yet no trial ever occurred,” Cron said. “That speaks volumes about the strength—or lack thereof—of the state’s case.”
Prosecutors have not publicly explained the reason for dropping the charge, but the move suggests concerns over whether the case could withstand the burden of proof required at trial.
The dismissal means the defendant will not face further prosecution in the matter unless new evidence emerges—a significant relief for the former city employee, whose life was upended by the accusation.
The case had loomed over city government as well, involving two municipal employees and raising questions about workplace safety, internal oversight, and administrative accountability.
With the charge dismissed and the case closed, Cron emphasized that his client now looks forward to moving on. “This case highlights the importance of due process and thorough legal defense,” Cron said. “Justice isn’t about headlines—it’s about facts. And in this case, the facts didn’t support a murder conviction.”