Grants man indicted for attempted murder

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Roy Barajas, 59, of 510 San Jose Drive, who was arrested May 8 in connection with allegedly lighting another man on fire, was indicted by the 13th Judicial Grand Jury Wednesday. The indictment adds a charge of attempted murder in the first degree to the initial two charges, said District Attorney Lemuel Martinez.

The initial charges are one count each of aggravated assault with intent to commit a violent felony and aggravated battery with intent to commit great bodily harm, Martinez said.

Those charges were initially filed at his arrest. Grants police said an attempted murder charge was not filed then because the information they had at the time of the arrest was not sufficient.

Additional information was developed and presented to the grand jury, which resulted in the attempted murder indictment.

Barajas is a repeat convicted sex offender who failed to re-register with the Cibola County Sheriff's Department when he moved to Grants from San Rafael. As a felon, he may be subject to a "supplemental information" filing by the District Attorney's officer as a habitual offender (Please see related story).

Martinez said the three felonies in the indictment could result in Barajas receiving up to 15 years and a fine of $35,000, or both, if convicted of all the charges.

"Violent crimes are important to this administration and we are going to move expeditiously on this case," Martinez said.

"We are going to prosecute this case to the fullest extent we are able."

Barajas was arrested by Grants Police after he doused Emerson Sloan with gasoline and lit the victim on fire, according to police reports.

Barajas was placed in custody at the Cibola County Detention Center May 8, on a $20,000 secured bond and was still in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.

Police responded to a call of a man on fire late in the afternoon, and when they arrived, emergency medical personnel and paramedics from Grants Fire and Rescue and Mt. Taylor Ambulance were working on Sloan.

He sustained burns on his right side, right arm and clothing, some of which had been cut away so that emergency medical procedures could be performed.

Several witnesses told police that Barajas approached Sloan, who was laying on the ground next to a fence on Barajas's property. Barajas told Sloan to leave, and when he did not leave, Barajas doused Sloan with gasoline, took a hat off of Sloan, lit it on fire, and threw the hat on Sloan lighting him on fire, court records state.

Police found a red gas can on the driveway to the residence and a cigarette lighter in Barajas's pocket, court records state.

Sloan was air evacuated to University of New Mexico Medical center in Albuquerque and underwent two surgeries, said Police Lt. Maxine Spidle.

Sloan's status following surgery in the medical center was stable but sedated at last notice, said Grants Police Lt. Corey Allen. The medical center will notify police if his condition changes, he said.

The medical center declined to comment to the Independent citing patient privacy.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com