Portales Man Sentenced to 20 years in Prison for Murder

Portales, NM – Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Andrea Reeb, announced that today District Judge Donna Mowrer sentenced twenty year old Korbin Baldridge, of Portales, to 20 years in prison for his involvement in the April 7, 2019, homicide of Adam Holts.

On February 2, 2020, Baldridge pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in the 1st degree as well as armed robbery. 

On April 7, 2019 officers of the Portales Police Department responded to 423 N. Ave B where they discovered Adam Holts’ body inside a trailer.  Holts had been shot multiple times.  The Major Crimes Unit conducted the investigation which charged Baldridge and 23 year old Manuel Silva with the killing.  Investigation revealed that Silva was the individual who pulled the trigger.  On June 14, 2019, Silva took his own life.

At the sentencing hearing Judge Mowrer heard from Holts’ mother Edna Shriver who told the court, “The day after Adam died, I saw a billboard that said, “Hope is an empty casket.” If that’s the case, I don’t have any hope, because Adam’s casket is not empty.”

Baldridge was represented by defense attorney Gary Mitchell.  The State was represented by Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Scott Stover and Deputy District Attorney Quentin Ray. 

For more information, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at 575-769-2246.