A New Mexico teen will stand trial for allegedly killing his best friend's parents. Julio Zamora is 18 years old. He is from Clovis. He faces two counts of first-degree murder. That is the most serious murder charge in New Mexico. He also faces one count of conspiracy to commit murder. That means police say he planned the killings with someone else. His trial starts June 21, 2027. It is set to run through June 25.

The case has shaken the small town of Clovis. Clovis sits near the Texas Panhandle. Court records point to money as the motive, not anger or revenge. A teen allegedly paid his friend to kill his own father and stepmother. Police say he wanted the money he thought he would inherit.

Zamora is accused of shooting Oscar Steve Munoz, 58, and Dina Munoz, 71. It happened inside their home in Clovis. Police say the person who hired him was Darren Munoz, 19. Darren is Oscar's son. He is Dina's stepson. Darren and Zamora were friends.

Darren faces the same two murder counts as Zamora. He also faces conspiracy to commit murder. He faces one more charge called criminal solicitation. That charge means police say he asked and paid someone else to commit a crime for him. Darren's trial starts with jury selection on January 25, 2027. Both teens have pleaded not guilty.

Police went to the Munoz home just before 5 a.m. on December 15, 2025. They had gotten a call about a break-in. Officers went inside. They found Oscar and Dina shot in the head. Police say the couple was asleep in their bed. Oscar was rushed to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas. He died there. Dina was pronounced dead at the home.

Court records say Zamora confessed. He told police he shot both victims in the head. Police say the plan had been building for weeks. Some records say it may have taken months. A girlfriend of one of the teens talked to police. She said Zamora agreed to kill Darren's parents for money. He would get paid once Darren got his inheritance, she said.

Court records also point to a gun deal linked to the case. Police say Darren had planned to trade a rifle for a pistol. That kind of rifle is called an AR-style rifle. The pistol police describe is called a "ghost gun." A ghost gun has no serial number. That makes it hard for police to trace who owns it. Police say they found a gun like that on Zamora when they arrested him.

The victims had just come home from a trip to San Antonio, Texas. Court records say they went there to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Oscar worked as a regional manager for Allsup's convenience stores. Darren later told police he heard the garage door alarm go off. He said it happened hours after he went to bed that night.

A grand jury indicted both teens on December 31, 2025. That was less than three weeks after the killings. A case like this is rare for a small town like Clovis.

Zamora and Darren Munoz have both stayed in jail. Neither has been given bond since his arrest. A judge ruled that letting them go free before trial would put the community at risk.

Both men could face life in prison without parole. That would happen if a jury convicts them. Police say they are still reviewing evidence. That includes phone records from the suspects and the victims. It is not yet clear if more charges will be filed. El Tejano will keep following both trials as the dates get closer.