Investigators want to speak with 24-year-old Brandon H. Barela about the Thursday slaying of a man in Curry County.

A 24-year-old Chaves County man is being sought by the Curry County Sheriff's office in connection with Thursday's homicide.


Termed a "person of interest", Brandon H. Barela is from south of Roswell and was recently employed by Double K Testing, according to a press release.


Police have not said if Barela is someone they believe has information in the case or if he is a suspect.


Investigators believe the homicide victim is missing Tucumcari truck driver Ron Hittson but are waiting confirmation from an autopsy scheduled for this morning.


Police records show a truck driver called 911 just before 7 a.m. Thursday to report a possibly unconscious male lying in the ditch southeast of State Road 523 and Sugarbeet Road.


Investigators later located 51-year-old Hittson's semi-truck parked near a hotel on Mabry Drive in Clovis.


Barela is described as 5-feet-9 inches tall and approximately 130 pounds, with brown hair and eyes and a fair complexion.
He and has a tattoos of "Gabrielle" on his chest, "Brandon" on his left leg and "Barela" on his right.


Anyone with information can contact the Curry County Sheriff's Office at 769-2335 or can remain anonymous by calling Curry County Crime Stoppers at 763-7000.