Suvechha Sarkar
Dawn R. Sandoval was a devoted mother known for her hardworking nature. In April 2018, the loved ones of the 46-year-old became concerned when she went missing from her home. It left them searching for the truth and preparing themselves for every possibility. Things came crashing down when her remains were discovered a month later in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Murder Tapes: The Last Laugh’ explores details surrounding the murder and how an extensive investigation led officials to someone close to her. The episode also features interviews with two of her sons and detectives who solved the case.
Dawn Sandoval’s Life Revolved Around Her Family and Nursing Career
Dawn R. Sandoval arrived in the world as a blessing on December 20, 1971, in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Public reports do not provide any information about her father, but she was close to her mother, Lorraine Sandoval. Growing up, she loved spending time playing with her brother, Donald, and sister, Anita. A Catholic by faith, Dawn was known for her compassionate nature and go-getter personality. After graduating from high school, she earned a Nursing degree from New Mexico Highlands University. Eventually, she began her career as a Registered Nurse. By 2008, Dawn joined Synergy Inc. in the same position and developed an incredible relationship with her clients Odie and Sophie, leading her to work with them for a decade.
In her free time, Dawn loved playing bingo with her grandmother, Mena Sandoval, and often attended parties that featured games. Additionally, she enjoyed playing the flute and was a proud member of the WLVHS track and dance teams. She further loved traveling to different parts of the country. In high school, Dawn first met her soulmate, Rick Trujillo, and their connection soon blossomed. Shortly after graduation, they got married, and over the next few years, they welcomed their sons, Ricky, Kevin, and Jonathon Trujillo. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Jonathon unexpectedly passed away when he was just 10 months old. According to Dawn’s friend, the loss of their son and Rick’s struggles in the army led to the couple’s separation after five years of marriage.
Dawn Sandoval’s Remains Were Found a Month After Her Disappearance
By the summer of 1999, Dawn got a second chance at love when she was introduced to Michael William Encinias, AKA Mike. Their casual relationship quickly deepened, and in 2000, the pair tied the knot, surrounded by friends and family. Soon, they gave birth to their twin sons, Donovyn and Dyllan Sandoval. Sadly, cracks began forming in their bond, and they separated in December 2017. On February 23, 2018, their divorce was finalized, and they shared joint custody of their twins. Things took a turn on April 16, 2018, when Donovyn and Dyllan called Anita to inform her that they had last seen their mother around 10:30 pm on April 15, before going to sleep, and that they couldn’t find her when they returned home from school. It prompted Anita to officially report her sister missing.
When detectives arrived at Dawn’s residence, they found that her phone, purse, and cars were still there. However, they found no signs of forced entry or disturbance inside the home. They continued searching for her, but no one in her friends or family had seen her. On May 5, 2018, a dirtbike rider noticed a human arm protruding from the ground in the desert west of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and immediately called 911. When officials arrived at the scene, they uncovered a woman’s remains, which were considerably charred and decomposed. Reports state that the medical examiner identified the remains as Dawn’s on May 6. Due to the decomposition of the remains, the autopsy marked her cause of death as undetermined and ruled the manner of death as homicide.
Michael Encinias Was Arrested After Dawn’s DNA Was Found in His Car
When detectives began the missing persons investigation, they reportedly learned that Dawn’s twins had spent the entire weekend before April 16, 2018, with Michael before they returned to Dawn’s home. According to their statements, on the night of April 15, Michael and Dawn went upstairs to her room together, following which the twins went to sleep around 10:30 pm. Reports state that when Donovyn and Dyllan woke up the next morning, their parents were not home. As per police records, Anita told the officials that after the pair recently finalized their divorce, allegedly due to Michael’s affair, the 46-year-old was dating a man named Harold Witt. Upon questioning, Michael claimed that he and Dawn were discussing getting back together.
According to court records, Michael said that Dawn allegedly wanted to slow things down, leading him to leave around midnight. In his statements, he claimed that he returned to his house, slept there, and left for work the following morning. He insisted that the 46-year-old had never been in his pickup truck. Meanwhile, authorities reportedly discovered that Dawn had also recently dated a man named Lucas. Investigative reports indicate that after an in-depth interview with Lucas and Harold, law enforcement ruled them out as suspects. During Lucas’ questioning, he told the officials that Michael’s ex-girlfriend was arrested after Dawn reported her for allegedly driving a car under the influence with the twins inside her vehicle, per reports. As per official records, investigators discovered a prison call between Michael and his ex-girlfriend.
On that call, Michael reportedly asked the ex-partner to contact him on his work phone. Authorities reportedly executed a search warrant on his phones, which revealed that he left Dawn’s home around 12:31 am on April 16 and texted her “I love you” before leaving. Court records state that CCTV footage from near his home showed he returned home as he told the officials, but 8 minutes later, he left again in his car and didn’t return until 2:30 am on April 16. After the discovery of Dawn’s remains on May 5, officials executed more search warrants on Michael’s home and car. According to police records, forensic experts found a small blood stain in the backseat area of his vehicle and determined that the blood was Dawn’s. In November 2018, Michael was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
Michael Encinias is Incarcerated at a New Mexico Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Michael Encinias finally commenced in 2019. During the proceedings, the prosecution emphasized that the DNA of Dawn was found in the defendant’s vehicle, although he claimed during the interviews that she never got into his car. Court records state that the prosecution claimed Michael and Dawn’s discussion about their reconciliation got out of hand on that fateful night, which led him to snap and smother her with pillows in her room. They believed that Michael then transported her remains to the desert in his car before disposing of them and setting them on fire.
On the other hand, the defense maintained that Michael wasn’t involved in the crime and challenged the DNA evidence. In August 2019, the jury convicted him of all his charges and sentenced him to 18 years in prison. Following that, he appealed his judgment, claiming that his rights were violated since the DNA analyst who actually tested the evidence did not testify. He also claimed that he didn’t receive a fair trial. On March 4, 2022, the Appellate Court affirmed his conviction and sentencing. Currently, Michael is serving his sentence at the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
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