The West Mesa Murders are the killings of eleven women whose remains were found buried in 2009 in the desert on the West Mesa of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Several suspects have been named, but none were arrested or charged. While the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex trafficking ring has been suspected.

Between 2001 and 2005, 11 women were buried by an unknown assailant in an arroyo bank on Albuquerque‘s West Mesa, in an undeveloped area within city limits. Satellite imagery taken between 2003 and 2005 shows tire marks and patches of disturbed soils in the area where the remains were recovered. By 2006, development had encroached on the area, and soon after, the site was disturbed, buried, and platted for residential development.

Due to the 2008 housing bubble collapse, development on the West Side halted before housing could be built at the burial site. After neighbors complained of flooding at the platted site (due to the burial of the natural arroyo), the developer built a retaining wall to channel storm water to a retention pond built in the approximate area of the burial site, inadvertently exposing bones to the surface.^[7]

On February 2, 2009, a woman walking a dog found a human bone on the West Mesa, and reported it to police. As a result of the subsequent police investigation, authorities discovered the remains of 11 women and girls^[8] and a fetus buried in the area. They were between 15 and 32 years of age, most were Hispanic, and most were involved with drugs and sex work.

The remains discovered in 2009 were identified as those of the following women and girls, all of whom disappeared between 2001 and 2005:^[10][11]

• Jamie Barela, 15
• Monica Candelaria, 22
• Victoria Chavez, 26
• Virginia Cloven, 24
• Syllannia Edwards, 15
• Cinnamon Elks, 32
• Doreen Marquez, 24
• Julie Nieto, 24
• Veronica Romero, 28
• Evelyn Salazar, 27
• Michelle Valdez, 22