
Sixth Judicial District Chief Deputy Janice Schryer said 34-year-old Nathan Rowland was found not guilty by a jury Thursday on charges of aggravated battery and tampering with evidence in connection with the stabbing of another Luna County inmate last December.
Schryer said the victim and witnesses, all of whom were inmates at the time, refused to testify about the December 29th stabbing which resulted in the victim suffering a collapsed lung and other injuries.
Schryer said a surveillance video of the incident didn’t show a weapon, and a weapon was never found.
Rowland was incarcerated after being arrested in Silver City in February of 2013 on outstanding warrants and in connection with the shooting of a Las Cruces man at the rest stop between Deming and Silver City.
At the time of his arrest, Rowland, a known member of the “Los Carnales” gang, was listed as one of the state’s Most Wanted Offenders.
Schryer said charges in the rest stop shooting were dropped earlier this month because the victim in that case could not be located.
Rowland was represented by Las Cruces defense attorney George Harrison, and the trial was held before Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Jennifer Delaney.