ALBUQUERQUE – APD detectives arrested suspect who is charged with the murder of Dr. Christopher Fallen in early February 2024 at his home near Carlisle Blvd. and Constitution Ave., N.E.
Detectives arrested Daniel Lee Hadders, 27, on Friday evening. Court records have been sealed in this case and ABQ RAW is going off of what APD is telling us from an e-mail.
Fallen’s deceased body was discovered by his business partners on Feb. 6 inside his home, located at 3512 Calle del Ranchero, N.E. Dr. Fallen, 48, was found with his head wrapped in tape with a belt around his neck. His hands and shins were also bound together by duct tape. Dr. Fallen died as a result of asphyxiation.
Dr. Fallen’s father, who lives out of state, last heard from him by text message on Feb. 2. Dr. Fallen missed scheduled business calls on Feb. 5, which caused his business partners to travel to Albuquerque, where they found him dead. His car and several electronic devices were missing from the home.
Andres Lorenzo Chavez
Dr. Fallen’s father told detectives his son had recently taken in a roommate, later determined to be Andres Chavez. Chavez later told detectives that he met Fallen through a dating app, and they two men had a sexual relationship. He said Fallen allowed him to stay at his home while Fallen helped him get on his feet and look for a job. Chavez said the last time he was at Dr. Fallen’s home was on Feb. 1.
Internet record search by ABQ RAW indicate Dr. Fallen was an accomplished physicist and mathematic professional who worked in the high-power, high-frequency transmitter study of the ionosphere. At the time of his death, Dr. Fallen was working for a government contractor who had contracts with the Department of Defense.
APD officers in the Valley Area Command located Dr. Fallen’s vehicle, a red Volkswagon GTI, on Feb. 6, in a parking lot of the Starbucks, located at 1000 Rio Grande Blvd., N.W. Officers detained two people, including Daniel Hadders. After obtaining a search warrant, detectives found records, including Dr. Fallen’s identification card, 13 credit cards belonging to Fallen, paperwork with Fallen’s email address and PIN numbers, a house key attached to Dr. Fallen’s key chain, four cell phones, and several documents with Chavez’s name and personal information.
Hadders admitting to knowing Chavez, but claimed he bought the car. He said he found a wallet in the car and kept the credit cards that were inside. Our research shows Hadders has an extensive criminal history in New Mexico dating back to 2021 with drugs and credit card fraud. On our research of Chavez, he has a record dating back to 2020 ranging from leaving the scene of an accident to auto theft charges.
Detectives located several phone, Internet and social media records with communication between Hadders and Chavez between Feb. 2 and 5. Detectives found a photo, apparently taken on Feb. 3, showing Fallen sitting on his bed with his hands bound together by a piece of clothing. A shirt was placed over his eyes, preventing him from being able to see. His face and clothing were covered in blood.
Police are searching for Chavez. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call 911.
Chavez and Hadders are each charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, aggravated burglary, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, 3 counts of tampering with evidence, 3 counts of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, 3 counts of receiving stolen property, receiving/transferring a stolen motor vehicle, dealing in credit cards of another, and fraudulent use of a credit card