Missing Persons Report Filed

Body Removed From Grave in Fence Lake Area

Cibola Beacon, New Mexico/February 13, 2016

By Donald Jaramillo

Cibola County – Late last week, the Beacon learned of a missing persons report filed on six Cibola County residents, a mother and her five-children. Brian Miller of Santa Fe reported to officials recently that he has been unable to contact his wife, Stacey, and their five children. Miller said he saw his family last nearly two years ago at the Aggressive Christianity group headquarters near Fence Lake on State Road 36.

After several calls and interviews with different parties involved, the County Sheriff’s Office learned that Stacey and four of her children were currently in another county in southern New Mexico in good health. They also learned that Enoch, the Millers’ first child who was born in the Aggressive Christianity headquarters, had died two years ago. However, because there was no paperwork available on Enoch, there was no way to confirming his death besides digging up the young boys grave and positively identifying the body and possibly solving the missing person case.

According to Sheriff Tony Mace, a warrant was issued last week to gain access to the inside of the group’s headquarters operated by James and Deborah Green. “The Greens are cooperating with the investigation thus far,” said Mace. “It is a death investigation on a missing person and that is how we are handling the case at this point. We don’t know what will come of any of this until an autopsy is performed and DNA testing is done on the body removed.”

Early Tuesday, the Greens, along with other members of the Christian group, directed the officials to Enoch’s gravesite. Late Tuesday and after many hours of digging nearly 6 ft. deep, a small body was removed from the site and was immediately taken to OMI offices in Albuquerque. The State Police Crime Scene Unit was on site to remove the body. There was also a representative from UNM’s archaeological team on site during the body removal.

“We are looking for positive identification of Enoch,” said Mace, “and his cause of death. In good faith of the Greens, the body removed is that of Enoch’s.”

The sheriff noted that Det. Stephen Chavez is the lead investigator for the ongoing investigation and that his undersheriff is also very involved in the missing person case.

“Our staff has been persistent in assisting Mr. Miller in finding his family, and hopefully, soon we will have correct information on his son’s death,” said Sheriff Mace.

According to reports, Brian was asked to leave the Greens’ compound several years ago after being part of it for nearly 17 years. A sheriff’s office report states that his name in the Aggressive Christianity headquarters was Paul River.

According to County records, the Greens purchased their property near Fence Lake they call their compound for $550,000 in 1997. Prior to that, the organization was based in California.

Ironically, while deputies were investigating the missing persons case in mid-January, on the 14th day of the month two women called the sheriff’s office early in the day wanting to escape from the Greens’ compound. Later that evening, two women and a child were picked up at approximately 7:30 p.m. by two deputies. According to incident report, one of the women is a wife of the Greens’ son. When asked about the two women, Mace said the women were returned to their families safely and the investigation is ongoing.