New Mexico teen accused of gunning down family 'lost sense of conscience'

[alp227]

The chilling acts the 15-year-old boy is accused of defy imagination:

Pumping his mother, brother and two younger sisters with bullets.

Gunning down his dad when he returned home.

Texting a picture of his lifeless mother to his 12-year-old girlfriend.

Plotting to kill strangers outside a supermarket.

But, family members say, Nehemiah Griego is no monster. They can't fathom what could have gone so terribly wrong.

"Whether it was a mental breakdown or some deeper undiagnosed psychological issue, we can't be sure yet," his uncle, former New Mexico state Sen. Eric Griego, said.

The family statement describes the boy as a gifted athlete and musician who was active in youth services at church.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/23/justice/new-mexico-shooting/index.html

BTW, if you were curious, Griego is a Democrat.

So what do you think, is the family covering up or really ambushed?

[Bucky]

1. Human beings just go crazy sometimes. Like those prairie wives who'd chop up their families

I gotta wonder what a 15 year old boy is doing having a 12 year old girlfriend.

My other thought is that this behavior is a risk taken when your morality comes from an outside source rather than an internal one, when you tell a kid "Don't do what you think is right, do God's will." That makes it easier to get him to do what you want him to do, but it also unanchors a person from their own morality.

[pugetres]

2. There was something going on in that family.

A 15 year old boy that was known to like to make neighborhood appearances dressed in camouflage, had a 12 year old girlfriend, had an online dating profile, "I'm a fun loving guy who [likes] to make [people] happy," wrote Griego on the profile. "I might be shy but I'll open up once you get to know me."...

He was home-schooled so one would assume that he had adequate parental supervision for most of the day...

I can't imagine that his uncle would not have seen something if his uncle was actually a part of the kid's life.

[Selatius]

3. They're probably just in denial. It'll likely sink in as the time goes on and the facts are known.

I believe the boy should be institutionalized. At the very least, he should be examined for mental illness. Putting him in an over-crowded and brutal prison population may simply make him worse.

[Warpy]

6. he'll be tried as an adult, instead

The only good thing is that NM overturned the death penalty some years ago.

I agree he needs to be evaluated very carefully before trial.

[REP]

4. Father was an ex-con former gang member - was it legal for him to have guns?

Read one thing that the father was asked to leave one prison ministry for being too heavy-handed with religion.

[Warpy]

5. I dunno, really. I have no idea what made this kid

shoot part of his family. I have no idea because I don't know the kid or the family. I do know the psychiatrists are going to have a great time with him, trying to figure it out.

I'm not surprised his dad was a Democrat, the majority of Hispanos in town are.

The only thing the kid has claimed is that he'd planned to kill his mother for a long time. Something very sad was going on in that family.

However, his dad was a good guy who worked with the most difficult people in town, trying to make the world a better place. There are no whispers going around about him.

[hopemountain]

7. law enforcement said the kid told them he was

addicted to violent internet games - that his face lit up when talking about them

yet, this kid had nothing to say about why he killed his mom other than he was frustrated with her.

his narrative of what happened that morning is chilling.

his girlfriend may be brought up on charges, too.

[Warpy]

8. no, they've let her go

Apparently a 13 year old girl is not expected to turn her boyfriend in when he sends her pictures of his dead mother.

It's just as well. I'm afraid few kids have well developed ethics at the age of 13. Who knows, maybe she was trying to get him to turn himself in.

[Tien1985]

9. She was probably

Afraid he'd kill her too.

It's just my opinion, but I would think the biggest factor for her telling would be could she tell and have someone believe her and do something right away, before he could get to her. It most have been a terrible situation for her.

[hopemountain]

10. you are correct, tien1985

the boy's plan was to kill her parents. she may have understood what he was planning. not enough info to determine much else.

[hopemountain]

11. i agree, warpy

and for all we know he never carried out the rest of his plan - to murder her parents and shoot up a walmart.
she may have been instrumental in the alteration of his plan.

[Tikki]

12. I know kids find ways, but I doubt a preachers kid had all day to sit around...

playing violent video games. Extended family said he was doing church activities and all.
Sounds like he is smart enough to come up with a defense he hopes will work a bit.

Sounds like he had a short fuse and a long gun.


Tikki