New Mexico man Melvin Cordell held without bond after shocking child abuse and SA allegations: They lived in caves

New Mexico man Melvin Cordell held without bond after shocking child abuse and SA allegations: They lived in caves

Content warning: This article describes extreme child abuse. Please take care while reading. New Mexico police arrested Melvin Cordell of Luna County recently on 24 felony charges. Those charges included multiple counts of criminal sexual penetration, child abuse, and aggravated battery. Sixth Judicial District Judge Jennifer DeLaney ordered the pretrial detention following Cordell’s waiver of a detention hearing on March 10, 2025. The case, whi…

New Mexico Couple Charged With Sexual Abuse of Children, Other Abuse; Family Lived in Mud Caves on Landfill-like Property

A New Mexico mother was arraigned this week on 18 charges related to the abuse of a child, including one count of criminal sexual penetration. Valerie Cordell, 41, entered a plea of not guilty on the charges. Her husband, 50-year-old Melvin Cordell, faces 24 charges, including child sex charges, and will be arraigned next week. The Cordells were arrested in February after New Mexico State Police received a report from Roswell Police after the co…