Fugitive released twice from jail

Moses Earl Ingram’s release from Quay County Detention Center was first revoked in May. That’s when the woman he’s accused of beating complained he’d threatened her soon after he left the jail.

Two months later, Ingram was released from jail a second time, on what court records refer to as a “furlough” or an “OR” bond, meaning he was released on his own recognizance. That’s when officials say Ingram tried to kill the same woman before stealing her car, crashing it while running from police, then escaping on foot.

The violence is described in court records obtained this week by the Quay County Sun.

Ingram, still at large as of Thursday, is charged with attempting to kill Amber Simpson. An Albuquerque Journal reporter talked with her father, who reported she’s suffered broken bones and gone into hiding.

Ingram, 31, was originally charged in April with assaulting Simpson, 27. He was jailed, then released on the own-recognizance bond by Magistrate Judge Joel Garnett.

Records show Garnett revoked the bond May 23 after Simpson filed complaints accusing Ingram of threatening her.

Simpson told police Ingram told her “If he was gonna go back to jail, he was gonna make it ‘worth it,’” records show.

Simpson also reported someone ransacked her home and cut cords to her electronic devices.

Ingram returned to jail, but on July 21, still awaiting trial, he was again released on personal bond after his case was moved from magistrate court to district court.

District Court Judge Albert J. Mitchell released him for two weeks so he could visit his children, records show, but ordered him to “stay away” from Simpson.

Ingram was supposed to return to the jail on Tuesday, but on July 24 police say he beat Simpson again, leaving her bloody in the car he used to elude police.

Mitchell declined to discuss the Ingram case Thursday, citing judicial rules. He said under state law, an accused person is presumed innocent and entitled to bond until they are convicted of a crime.

Mitchell said when he is considering releasing anyone and setting bond, including personal bonds, there are 14 factors a judge considers.

Those factors include seriousness of the crime, adequacy of proof, length of time the accused has been in the community and their ties to the local community, Mitchell said.

Numerous attempts to reach Garnett for comment Thursday weren’t successful.

Garnett’s decision to revoke Ingram’s bond was based, in part, on Simpson’s complaint that Ingram made contact with her the day after his release while under court order to stay away from her, records show.