ALBUQUERQUE – The Office of Attorney General Hector Balderas appeared before Judge Benjamin Chavez Dec. 20 to argue to keep five-time convicted murderer Clifton Bloomfield in prison for the rest of his life.
Bloomfield, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to murdering five people in New Mexico, filed a writ of habeas corpus to withdraw his guilty plea.
The Office of the Attorney General Criminal Appeals Division argued to the court that Bloomfield’s petition for writ of habeas corpus should be dismissed on the pleadings, without an evidentiary hearing, because the Petitioner’s claims are refuted by the record, including the transcripts of the plea and sentencing hearings.
“Keeping a serial murderer who terrorized New Mexico families behind bars is of the highest priority,” Balderas said. “My office will do everything in its power to keep Clifton Bloomfield behind bars for the rest of his life in order to protect New Mexicans. The Office of the Attorney General is focused on working with local law enforcement and district attorneys to keep the most violent, dangerous criminals off the streets.”
Judge Chavez did not issue a ruling today. Bloomfield admitted to murdering the following individuals:
• The Oct. 24, 2005, murder of Carlos Esquibel, 37
• The Oct. 27, 2005, murder of Josephine Selvage, 81
• The Dec. 4, 2007, murders of Tak and Pung Yi
• The June 28, 2008, murder of Scott Pierce, 40
