Family's Fight: Man Convicted in 'Natural Death' Killing

A jury convicted Jarrett Chacon of killing 60-year-old Larry Norsworthy in his Northeast Albuquerque apartment during a 2023 incident. The verdict followed a weeklong trial where Chacon, 28, was found guilty of first-degree felony murder and robbery. This conviction mandates a minimum of 30 years in prison before parole eligibility.

The case presented a unique challenge as Norsworthy's family tirelessly worked to reclassify his death, which was initially dismissed by police and medical investigators as natural causes. It took approximately 17 months from Norsworthy's death on April 3, 2023, for the case to be officially recognized as a homicide in September 2024.

Central to the trial was the testimony of Jasmine Trujillo, who had lived in Norsworthy's apartment. Trujillo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges last year, receiving a 25-year sentence in exchange for testifying. Her plea agreement required her cooperation in Chacon's trial.

Prosecutors presented evidence, including security footage, suggesting Chacon and Trujillo were outside Norsworthy's apartment on the day of the killing. An autopsy revealed Norsworthy died from four broken ribs, with contributing factors including methamphetamine use and existing health conditions. Norsworthy's son emphasized the family's struggle to convince authorities that his father had been murdered.