State v. Finchum

OPINION

SOSA, Chief Justice.

Defendant-appellant, Russell Finchum, was convicted by a jury of first degree murder, tampering with evidence and aggravated battery. He was sentenced concurrently to life imprisonment for the murder, eighteen months for tampering with evidence and 364 days for the aggravated battery. The battery charge arose out of a different incident than the murder charge.

The victim was found dead in a motel room in Albuquerque. Finchum and the victim had been acquaintances. The weekend before the killing, Finchum and the victim had argued over whether Finchum should take drugs…