Police seek two more in home invasion

More details emerged last week about a violent home invasion in Tucumcari in early October as law enforcement continued to look for at least two more suspects involved in the case.

Suspects Setheria Paul Kolyer, 18, and Riley J. Severeid, 18, both of Tucumcari, continue to be held in the Quay County Detention Center this week after being detailed by sheriff’s deputies Oct. 27. Both also had additional complaints filed against them last week.

The complaint filings also revealed at least two subjects from Albuquerque — apparently still at large — participated in the home invasion, robbery and beating of the victim.

Kolyer, 18, is detained on 13 complaints: aggravated burglary, conspiracy to commit a felony (aggravated burglary), aggravated battery, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (first offense), false imprisonment, interference with communications (obstructing the sending of a message), interference with communications (cutting or tapping telephone line), larceny (over $2,500), conspiracy to commit a felony (larceny), tampering with evidence, criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (marijuana).

Kolyer has retained Michael Aragon as his attorney and has a detention hearing in Tucumcari district court slated for Wednesday.

Severeid, 18, is detained on 10 complaints: aggravated burglary, conspiracy to commit a felony (aggravated burglary), larceny (over $2,500), conspiracy to commit a felony (larceny), felony tampering with evidence, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (first offense), false imprisonment, criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute (marijuana).

Severeid has retained Anna M. Aragon as his attorney.

Quay County sheriff’s deputy Cody Burch, one of the investigators, provided a narrative in the criminal complaints from the crime scene and subsequent probe.

About 1 a.m. Oct. 3, Burch was sent to the 3900 block of East Maple Avenue to investigate a home invasion. Burch found emergency medical technicians treating the victim for bleeding head injuries. The victim told Burch he’d been burglarized by three men wearing masks and gloves who stole a small safe containing about $1,000 in cash, two .22-caliber semi-automatic pistols, one 12-gauge shotgun, a cellphone and a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

The victim said the men awakened him by pointing a gun at his face and demanded money. One man hit him twice on the head with what he believed to have been one of his firearms, then tied him up as they ransacked the home.

The victim was taken to Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari, treated and released.

Officers found an open bedroom window. Below the window, bricks had been stacked on the ground with plywood placed across them to create a platform.

Burch stated on Oct. 25, he received a tip from a resident and used it to obtain a search warrant on a residence in the 2000 block of South Fourth Street in Tucumcari. Officers executed the search the morning of Oct. 27. Burch said he saw drug paraphernalia and smelled marijuana in the residence; he obtained another search warrant for the drugs.

Burch stated he found several items stolen from the Maple Avenue residence, including a document in the attic bearing the victim’s name, plus the victim’s pocket knife and wristwatch.

Severeid said during an interview with law enforcement a friend came up with the idea for the burglary. Severeid offered several details, including clothing worn during the heist.

“Riley stated Seth told him he did not have to go inside the house, that Seth and his two contacts from Albuquerque would go inside the house to commit the burglary,” Burch wrote. “Riley agreed and drew a layout of the house for Seth and the other two subjects, including where the safe was located inside the residence. Riley said he armed Seth and the other two with two of his firearms and waited at home while Seth and the other two committed the burglary.”

Severeid said the other two subjects drove the Silverado to Albuquerque while he and Kolyer cut the safe open with reciprocating saws at their home. Severeid said he played rent with some of the $1,200 found inside the safe and dumped the safe at Five Mile Park.

Severeid burned documents found inside the safe except for one he thought he later could use to open the victim’s safe-deposit box. Severeid also kept two keys for the box.

Burch found the safe in Five Mile Park as described in the interview.