A 40-year-old man who killed an 83-year-old archaeologist during a violent crime spree across New Mexico will spend the rest of his life in prison following a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
Zachary Ryan Babitz pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges including carjacking resulting in death, bank robbery, and carrying a firearm during a crime causing death. The plea deal spared him from facing the death penalty, which prosecutors had initially pursued when federal authorities took over the case from state officials.
The crime spree began on July 31, 2024, when Babitz robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Albuquerque while still wearing a GPS ankle monitor from his recent release from prison. Following the bank robbery, he cut off the monitoring device and fled the area.
Six days later, on August 6, Babitz shot and killed Gordon Wilson, an 83-year-old retired investment manager and archaeology enthusiast, in the parking lot of a Best Buy store located at 3533 Zafarano Drive in Santa Fe. The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m., after which Babitz stole Wilson’s vehicle and fled the scene.
Santa Fe police identified Babitz as the suspect two days later and issued an arrest warrant for murder, robbery, and felon in possession of a firearm. Despite being wanted for murder, Babitz continued his criminal activities.
On August 10, Babitz and an unidentified woman entered an Arby’s restaurant in Las Cruces around 6:30 p.m., where he pointed a gun at an employee and demanded money. After fleeing the restaurant, the pair forced a woman from her vehicle at gunpoint. They attempted to escape in the stolen vehicle but crashed shortly after. While police apprehended Babitz following the crash, his female accomplice managed to escape and remains at large.
Investigators later connected Babitz to the earlier Wells Fargo robbery when they discovered the vehicle used in that crime at his residence.
According to the New Mexico Department of Corrections, Babitz had been sentenced in 2019 to 23 years in prison for robbery and receiving stolen vehicles. However, a judge suspended all but 10 years of the sentence and credited him with time served. With good-time credits earned during his incarceration, he was released on March 12, 2024, just four months before the crime spree began. He had been placed on two years of parole followed by five years of probation.
Santa Fe Police Chief Paul Joye expressed frustration about Babitz’s early release, stating that someone with his criminal history should not have been on the streets. Police Captain Thomas Grundler noted that investigators have not determined why Babitz targeted Wilson specifically, describing the daylight attack in a public place as particularly shocking.
Wilson had enjoyed a successful career in investment and mutual fund management before dedicating his retirement to archaeological work with nonprofit organizations. He had developed his passion for archaeology during grade school and spent decades working on archaeological sites in his spare time. In his writings, Wilson described archaeology as the physical record of thousands of economic and social experiments throughout history.
The plea agreement ensures Babitz will never be released from federal prison, bringing closure to a case that terrorized multiple communities across New Mexico during the summer of 2024.
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