“Angel of Death” Asks for Records at Cemetery, Threatens Employees with Knife

Albuquerque –

On June 30th, 2026, 39-year-old Jose Simental walked into the Fairview Memorial Park located at 700 Yale Blvd SE with bad intentions. Simental went inside an office and said to employees that he was the “Angel of Death” and he needed to see “the records”. When employees did not provide Simental the records he pulled out a knife and waved it in the air. He said “I can kill you all and I’ve been to Grants.”

Employees feared for their lives and fled the building to the safety of the cemetery grounds and called 911. The Albuquerque Police Department then responded to the office. APD started giving public address announcements for Simental to come out of the building where he was now barricaded all alone.

According to the criminal complaint, APD officers made announcements for 20 minutes and they observed him pull out a large silver knife out of his pocket. At one point, the self proclaimed “Angel of Death” stepped out of the building and officers tried a non-lethal 40mm launcher at him. They failed to hit him possibly because of his death angel connections so he went back inside. Eventually, an officer was able to establish rapport with Simental and de-escalated the situation. Ultimately, Simental came out with the knife in his pocket, and he did not reach for it. He was taken into custody without incident.

A records search does indicate Simental did serve time in the New Mexico prison system and he has a record dating back to 2006 for minor to violent crimes.

In this case, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading or obstruction an officer.