A suspect has been arrested for the February beating death of Mark Lavine in front of a homeless service provider in Downtown Albuquerque. According to witnesses and surveillance video, the suspect, Jose Gracia, approached Lavine in front of Hope Village and attacked him.
"Gracia maneuvered his wheelchair close to Lavine, reached up with his left hand, grabbed Lavine by the shirt near his neckline, and lunged at Lavine with force. He struck Lavine in the face with his right hand, blindsiding him while Lavine was looking in another direction," stated the report.
Following the brutal assault, Gracia fled the scene in his wheelchair, leaving Lavine unconscious and unresponsive. Lavine was rushed to a local hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries on March 16, 2024.
The Albuquerque Police Department, in collaboration with New Mexico Probation & Parole, apprehended Gracia, who is now facing a charge of an open count of murder.