Murder suspect breaks through a wall and escapes interrogation room

[u/Separate_Finance_183]

[u/IKIR115]

Wow this guy’s story is wild. His name is Adlai Mestre and this happened in Tijeras, NM in 2024.

He murdered his whole family and then escaped the interrogation room.

Story:

https://youtu.be/C5--0cueu0s

More police cam footage:

https://youtu.be/uhmgSrHJIIk

[u/MechMeister]

It'd be funnier if there was another interrogation room on the other side

[u/chintakoro → u/MechMeister]

same interrogator sitting in room 2: “we knew you’d come around…”

[u/jkb_66 → u/chintakoro]

Sounds like it would be a scene in naked gun lol

[u/27Yosh → u/jkb_66]

Eventually the suspect would start interrogating Frank and Frank asks for his lawyer

[u/scrollbreak → u/27Yosh]

Suspect: "I AM your lawyer!"

[u/Electronic_Rule6347 → u/27Yosh]

Lmfao, yeah, you know your naked gun movies!!!

[u/twisty125 → u/MechMeister]

"You... know how this looks, right?"

[u/Kalmer1 → u/twisty125]

"Have a seat right over there"

[u/allaboutthosevibes → u/Kalmer1]

“Nah, I’m aight. I think I’ll head out, now.”

Climbs back through hole into first room

[u/JustLouLiving_51 → u/MechMeister]

Steps into a neighboring interrogation room to meet someone crazier than him.

[u/mirrormirrorondewall → u/MechMeister]

Backrooms

[u/Femcel_Bambi → u/MechMeister]

"do you mind? We're in the middle of a conversation here."

[u/clayafterwork → u/MechMeister]

Him crashing through the wall into another suspect mid-interrogation would be peak chaos.

[u/shadowtheimpure]

This is what happens when you build 'secure' rooms out of drywall. They're not secure.

[u/citizen42069101 → u/shadowtheimpure]

Just closer / thicker studs would have slowed this down or stopped it. That was a cheap ass 24inch on center framing job

[u/coozehound3000 → u/citizen42069101]

Yo mama likes thicker studs

[u/galactojack → u/coozehound3000]

What'd you call me?

[u/PM_ME_FIREFLY_QUOTES → u/galactojack]

6inch stud? All my friends call me 18inch on center.

[u/Head_Examination_264 → u/PM_ME_FIREFLY_QUOTES]

I call myself two by six, but it's really 1.5 by 5.5.

[u/galactojack → u/PM_ME_FIREFLY_QUOTES]

My man

[u/ObligationOk4350 → u/PM_ME_FIREFLY_QUOTES]

18inch on center? My friends call me expansion joint

[u/SlapAnAsian → u/coozehound3000]

This genuinely made me crack up

[u/coozehound3000 → u/SlapAnAsian]

Your username made me crack up

[u/lonely_zetsu → u/coozehound3000]

Who doesn't?

[u/Frosty_Mongoose9055 → u/coozehound3000]

Yo mama is a thicker stud

[u/Any_Lingonberry627 → u/coozehound3000]

Ha, zinger

[u/Local-Unit6548 → u/citizen42069101]

Yup. Even 1/4" ply wood have stopped him

[u/RedditAdminsAreAI → u/citizen42069101]

Gotta save every penny to buy more police tanks

[u/citizen42069101 → u/RedditAdminsAreAI]

No no, see they get those for pennies on the dollar as overstock, and then the military goes oopsie now we need more.

And that's how podunk county sheriff's department has an abrams tank.

[u/VisibleDebatee → u/citizen42069101]

I agree with you, but what bothers me more is that there’s a camera in the upper right corner, so why didn’t anyone ever show up to stop this guy?

You could call this one of the easiest escapes.

[u/ElliotsBuggyEyes → u/VisibleDebatee]

What do you mean you're bothered? Between the first kick of the wall and crawling through it was 10 seconds +/- a second. He makes a run for the left of the camera at :22 and he is followed by someone at :28. It took 26 seconds from the first kick to having someone chase him. That seems like a completely reasonable amount of time.

You are acting like this happened. Which was almost 15min between escaping and even noticing.

[u/TelluricThread0 → u/shadowtheimpure]

Hey Bob we need a room to interrogate people.

Just slap up some drywall and call it a day Jim.

[u/activelyresting → u/TelluricThread0]

You need some equipment in there if you want to call it a day gym

[u/Adventurous_Gate3330 → u/shadowtheimpure]

True, but now they've got him cold for attempt to flee and it looks like he's just one room over? I mean, if they needed leverage on someone that seems an easy way to get some.

[u/wwwwwhhhhhyyyyyy → u/Adventurous_Gate3330]

What’s a little attempt to flee charge when he’s there for murder.

[u/MoreColorfulCarsPlz → u/wwwwwhhhhhyyyyyy]

It's incredibly easy to prove so you don't need to worry about finding a way to keep him locked up while you investigate.

[u/WetRocksManatee → u/MoreColorfulCarsPlz]

And since he attempted to flee, the DA could probably have him remanded into custody without bail.

[u/ashgs872tbhjs → u/WetRocksManatee]

Murderers don't usually get bail regardless lol. About 50% are outright denied, and most of the other 50% never post it because it's set far too high to be affordable (which is just the judge denying it without saying they're denying it).

[u/GeeToo40 → u/shadowtheimpure]

Yeah, were they 24 apart? I'm assuming there was a stud on the left side of that big-ass hole he kicked. I hope he's safe.. in custody

[u/copperblood → u/shadowtheimpure]

But but how else would the sweet sweet government contractors get fat off said contracts??

[u/Kamwind → u/shadowtheimpure]

He is still in the middle of the police station. He was not arrested or anything so the door would not of even been locked.

[u/DrakeStone → u/Kamwind]

not have even

[u/galactojack → u/shadowtheimpure]

Just space the studs at like 6"

[u/I_Can_Barely_Move → u/galactojack]

Oooh. We thought you meant 6’

[u/JcbAzPx → u/shadowtheimpure]

I once worked for a company who's super secure server room was a part of a shared drop ceiling. Or, if you wanted, you could get in by leaning on the wall a little too hard.

[u/truebeast822]

Dude must have hung drywall, that first punch immediately caught his interest to where he even gave it a small tap, he knew he could get through.

[u/FLIBERTYGIBBITS → u/truebeast822]

Doesn't sound like there are ANY dead bodies in these walls!?

[u/duffcalifornia → u/FLIBERTYGIBBITS]

This guy Sicarios.

[u/Yedis19 → u/truebeast822]

lol he tapped it like he was checking if the studs were where he left em

[u/1gsm3]

Thinking outside of the box.

[u/North_Complaint_2135 → u/1gsm3]

When life gives you a box, make a window

[u/ColorsLookFunny → u/North_Complaint_2135]

That sounds positive and dystopian at the same time. Love it.

[u/noobyeclipse → u/North_Complaint_2135]

hxh reference

[u/Dry_Equivalent_1316 → u/1gsm3]

Breaking outside of the box

[u/dontipitova9 → u/Dry_Equivalent_1316]

HE was in the box

[u/Doobieswim12349]

My luck, I would break through the drywall right into a cell 😂😂

[u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin → u/Doobieswim12349]

But then you could argue double jeopardy. “You can’t send me to jail if I’m already there! It cancels out!”

[u/IcePhoenix18 → u/Doobieswim12349]

I was expecting him to end up in the break room, where all of the officers are sitting drinking coffee.

[u/Old_Veterinarian7830]

This guy shot and killed his entire family, and I believe he's actually completely insane. It was on one of those modern-day crime shows. One of the rare cases where I thought, "Yep, this guy is completely mentally gone."

[u/__Hello_my_name_is__ → u/Old_Veterinarian7830]

The judge seems to agree with you.

Cue the outraged people who don't understand how these things work.

[u/Organic_Fortune_4748 → u/Old_Veterinarian7830]

Source?

[u/Shiftnetic → u/Organic_Fortune_4748]

A few of the crime channels have gone over this case. The person in the video is Adlai Mestre.

[u/mothzilla → u/Shiftnetic]

That's Mestre Adlai to you.

[u/Greg-Abbott → u/mothzilla]

Please, call me Dr Crazy. Mr. Aldi was my father. Was.

[u/venusdances → u/Old_Veterinarian7830]

Who is this?

[u/echoskybound]

WHERE ARE THE STUDS

[u/SunsetCoconut → u/echoskybound]

not to give this psycho any credit, but he kicked right above where a plug was which is kinda smart if thats what he thought of. A plug would have a stud right beside it, but right above it is more than likely open for at least 14inches in a direction. You can sort of see, at least I think, the metal stud immediately to the left inside the hole he kicked.

[u/Secret-Ad-830 → u/SunsetCoconut]

yeah it was 14-16inches when i was in construction but that looks bigger than 16inches

[u/ArtoriasoftheAss → u/Secret-Ad-830]

24 is common for non load bearing walls.

[u/Fappy_as_a_Clam → u/SunsetCoconut]

He's a hispanuc dude in New Mexico, sonething tells me he has built a house or two. 

I bet that was his exact thought process. 

[u/theutan → u/SunsetCoconut]

The stud is vertical on either side of the plug. How is it smart to kick right above? Seems like a 50/50 vs going a few inches to the right or left.

[u/boogerzzzzz → u/echoskybound]

Did you not see the guy in the wife beater?

[u/nerdygeoff → u/boogerzzzzz]

take your upvote and BEGONE!

[u/Granny_Shiftin → u/echoskybound]

60" on center. Contractor saving $$$

[u/savageotter → u/echoskybound]

Commercial non load bearing walls with metal studs spaced 24oc

[u/fabregas_4 → u/echoskybound]

Sorry, I was busy in another sub

[u/psych_cycle]

I mean ... something tells me he is definitely the one who did it but Idk i could be wrong 🤷

[u/HelloSakif0009 → u/psych_cycle]

People behave strangely in interrogation room. Even innocent people.

[u/Texasteabag29 → u/HelloSakif0009]

Very true. I once had to give a statement in one as a witness to a tragedy. Not going to lie it was intimidating as all hell and I couldn't wait to get out of there

[u/aed38 → u/psych_cycle]

If you're wrongly accused of murder you're going to want out of that room too.

[u/psych_cycle → u/aed38]

Yeah but I'm not going to break through a wall and land myself in jail anyways for destruction of property either 😂

[u/aed38 → u/psych_cycle]

That's a pretty minor offense compared to a murder charge. It definitely doesn't look good though.

[u/BygoneNeutrino → u/aed38]

The reward for breaking out of the room is significantly greater for a guilty person who knows the evidence will convict him of the crime, and the risks are non-existent since he is already looking at life.

[u/Shiftnetic → u/aed38]

He murdered his entire family and dog after a schizophrenic episode. Ain't no wrongly accused in this case.

[u/Purple-Mind-8197 → u/Shiftnetic]

so why was he not handcuffed in the interrogation room? I know people who have been handled more severely for weed man...

[u/Purplecatpiss666 → u/Shiftnetic]

Preach,I watched a 40+ min video on this dude it was awful

[u/DuskLab → u/psych_cycle]

No no, he's trying to escape so he can catch the real suspect /s

[u/Cautious_Ad5132]

I find it hilarious how easy he did this. Even he seems a little surprised initially.

[u/EveryBitTexass]

Fun fact: most of what you consider to be obstacles can't actually stop you, you've just been psychologically conditioned to behave as though they can.

[u/Freezie-Days → u/EveryBitTexass]

Is this an American thing? I doubt anyone could break through walls in europe without tools since most of our stuff uses bricks

[u/Foreveralone84 → u/Freezie-Days]

Shh, don’t tell him that he lives in a developing country, and that it might take them another 100 years before they discover stone and mortar.

[u/shelleon → u/Foreveralone84]

Very reddited comment here

[u/TLunchFTW → u/Foreveralone84]

Yall are sleeping on light weight construction. My house is just as well insulated as any block house (because it's insulated properly) and I can actually fish wires through my walls, not on them.

[u/dangerdeviledeggs → u/EveryBitTexass]

I mean it's a nice thought, But I've punched and kicked walls before and I don't think I could do what he did.

[u/Suyefuji → u/dangerdeviledeggs]

Meanwhile about a year ago I was super sick and fainted trying to go to the bathroom and left a giant head-shaped hole in my drywall where I hit on the way down

[u/TheSodernauts → u/Suyefuji]

Sounds like quite the scene.

[u/CompetitiveReview416 → u/dangerdeviledeggs]

Even a child can punch through a dry wall

[u/lemonjuicypumpkin → u/CompetitiveReview416]

Where I live dry walls are not the standard. The standard is concrete or bricks.

[u/JediUnicorn9353 → u/CompetitiveReview416]

what about a wet wall?

[u/CompetitiveReview416 → u/JediUnicorn9353]

That's a problem

[u/FreshRecognition9191 → u/EveryBitTexass]

or you just have american walls

[u/YouAteMyChips_ → u/EveryBitTexass]

Yep. All security exists only to keep honest people honest. That security can be bypassed if someone is determined enough.

[u/PartyChemistry4095 → u/YouAteMyChips_]

number of times I had locksmith over to break in to my house and they could do it less than 5 minutes

[u/YouAteMyChips_ → u/PartyChemistry4095]

The vast majority of standard, mass-produced mechanical locks like that are really just there to serve as psychological barriers. Even a beginner could pick your front door in a very short timeframe.

[u/Lucky-Advice-8924 → u/EveryBitTexass]

In aus the interview rooms are armored like cells with heavy doors, heavy walls, no way youre getting out, you COULD maybe try to overpower two officers, but those chances are pretty slim as is any two on one and the second you act up you know theyre calling for backup. Best bet is mayyyyybe getting to a gun, but impossible, when entering the cells/interview area, they disarm themselves and keep their weapons on lockers, so once u get out of the interview room, youre gonna have to go past what is 100% likely, a bunch more cops, and heavy locked/secured doors at the entrance/exit checkpoint.. long story short you are fucked and this is a basic ass cop shop in australia

[u/Dazzling-Mongoose-98 → u/EveryBitTexass]

How is this a fact?

[u/RhymeCrimes → u/Dazzling-Mongoose-98]

Watch any SummoningSalt speed run video and you'll see. What we once thought of as an impossible obstacle, is nothing!

[u/WoolyHermits → u/Dazzling-Mongoose-98]

for one… my chastity belt… Go ahead, Try me.

[u/ConcertCityZen → u/EveryBitTexass]

RIP Titan Submersible crew

[u/pyrothelostone]

Well thats not gonna look good at trial after hes inevitably caught again.

[u/Hellebore35 → u/pyrothelostone]

I watched the bodycam, its on YouTube on InsanityBodycam, he was caught shortly after down the hall

[u/DarthBrooks69420 → u/pyrothelostone]

Bro did not last 5 minutes. You can hear people yelling and then see them run by his kool-aid-man hole.

[u/aquavelva23]

This looks like a benny hill sketch. The camera angle even shows him in the other room! If it was Benny, the other room would be the electric chair.

[u/Ok_Organization_7350]

That's funny. That's what they get for using cardboard for walls in buildings and houses, so too bad. Our infrastructure should be more evolved than that by now.

[u/Xen0___ → u/Ok_Organization_7350]

Infrastructure? Fuck that, we need to pay more money to billionaires for some reason!

[u/ironhaven → u/Ok_Organization_7350]

When people talk about failing infrastructure they are not talking about the fact that homes are made of timber. If you got 10 billion dollars to fix infrastructure and you spent it on replacing interior walls with stone that would do nothing to fix the real problems with our bridges, dams, and power grid.

[u/LOERMaster]

Mestre is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center pending trial.

First-degree murder (three counts)
Tampering with evidence
Extreme cruelty to animals
Escape from custody of officer
Criminal damage to property

That last charge seems almost farcical.

[u/TeamParking8818 → u/LOERMaster]

It all starts with cruelty to animals doesn't it...

[u/sonnybear5 → u/TeamParking8818]

Animals can’t talk back or tell on you.

How you treat animals is a clear reflection of the kind of human you are.

[u/WawaWeeWaaWu → u/TeamParking8818]

I saw the YouTube video on this one. This guy is definitely schizophrenic/not right mentally. He just snapped one day and killed most of his family, they had a dog there that was also shot.

He admitted what he did right away and showed the police where the bodies were when they arrived.

Then this is what happened when they took him in. He was talking to nothing and hardly making sense before he broke through the wall.

Not excusing animal cruelty or anything he did based on his mental state but yeah guy was living in a different reality.

[u/Symetrie → u/WawaWeeWaaWu]

Well that is absolutely horryfing.

[u/ashgs872tbhjs → u/Symetrie]

The worst part is that a meaningful part of the population can be triggered by severe stress, certain drugs, etc. into a full psychotic break with no previous history. Some people just go one day and never recover (or are never able to go without meds again). We don't even know how many people are predisposed to that since obviously some amount just never get triggered.

[u/Low-Car-6331 → u/LOERMaster]

There is one important part, the escape can be treated as a different set of charges instead of stacked into one trial. This means you could convict him much sooner and faster compared to the murder charges.

[u/Intelligent_Hope_559 → u/LOERMaster]

The third one has me fucked up...

[u/bonkedagain33]

He needed a poster to cover the hole. The cops would have had no idea where he went.

[u/Limp_Violinist_7184 → u/bonkedagain33]

Rita Hayworth!!

[u/Sinapsis42]

Y el póster de Rita Hayworth?

[u/Leading_Log_8321 → u/Sinapsis42]

Like a fart in the wind!

[u/mj6174 → u/Sinapsis42]

Cupcakes

[u/ellefleming → u/Sinapsis42]

ty

[u/6680j]

The real Kool aid man

[u/theseedbeader → u/6680j]

Oh yeah!

[u/HFentonMudd → u/theseedbeader]

Happy cake day!

[u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin → u/theseedbeader]

OH NO!

[u/Independent-smog → u/6680j]

Somebody post that family guy jif

[u/6680j → u/Independent-smog]

Tried. Gifs aren't allowed :(

[u/210gremlin]

I love how obvious his moment of realization is

[u/onlyforobservation]

Locks are only as strong as doors. Doors are only as strong as walls, walls are only as strong as windows.

[u/Biomech8 → u/onlyforobservation]

Actually windows in these buildings are stronger than walls.

[u/aggravatedimpala → u/Biomech8]

That's why you check them first. You're supposed to go from the windows to the walls

[u/Discount_Extra → u/onlyforobservation]

I'd rather punch my hand through drywall than glass.

[u/BromaEmpire]

I love that you can see the "wait a second..." moment at the beginning

[u/TheVioletEmpire]

That's some Looney Tunes Kool-Aid Man shit.

[u/CamaroBlood]

This guy killed his entire family, I remember watching a video about this. Dude has really serious issues.

[u/Pactae_1129 → u/CamaroBlood]

I can excuse familicide, but I draw the line at property damage

[u/stevein3d → u/Pactae_1129]

Found the landlord

[u/TradeIcy1669]

Be funny if he broke into the room they were all watching him from via a see through mirror

[u/LetterheadBrief594]

I like the spontaneous check of the strength of the wall. 😂😂

[u/dtoddh]

This guy knows about drywall.

[u/pru51 → u/dtoddh]

The voices use to do home improvement.

[u/S80V8]

His mistake was not covering the hole with a poster of Raquel Welch

[u/2lzy2]

Insert Kool-Aid man GIF.

[u/Free_Effect_6824]

American paper and air walls "sheetrock"

[u/sonnybear5]

2 knocks was all it took for him to confirm.

[u/Warm_Investment_8557]

I'M THE JUGGERNAUT BITCH 😡

[u/WiseIndustry2895]

Construction cost just for that interrogation room was probably 250k

[u/hilhilbean]

If only he had a poster with him to cover the escape hole.

[u/Deep_Helicopter4591]

This is why they need to stop building their infrastructure out of cardboard and insulation 

[u/Royal_Percentage_694 → u/Deep_Helicopter4591]

Insulation? Where?

[u/ClarifyingResolution]

I tend to not think outside the box like this. Chances are I would just get stuck in a box. That's what I feel like in life too, that I need God's help with direction. I will let you know how that one goes. Deliverer or Shit Show Captain? On the next episode of My Life.

[u/BigMoneyChode → u/ClarifyingResolution]

To be fair, he "escaped" into a police station and was immediately apprehended so thinking outside of the box wasn't really a winning move here.

[u/Wide-Candle3846 → u/BigMoneyChode]

Yes and he just added extra charges to himself. Weird how many people here are calling him a hero when he literally murdered someone.

[u/Silent_Fudge_3978 → u/Wide-Candle3846]

He's not a hero, but he did a good thing here, exposing the police station's piss-poor security.

[u/plainfollowup → u/Wide-Candle3846]

That extra charge means jackshit to the guy who murdered his entire family, if there's even the slimmest possibility to escape

[u/DyingSunSeverian → u/ClarifyingResolution]

I’d stare at the drywall and hope that it magically opens up into a portal to Narnia.

[u/IndividualGround2418 → u/ClarifyingResolution]

People like you don't have to think that much because you would never be in a situation like this.

[u/iam1whoknocks → u/ClarifyingResolution]

Id prolly just break my foot

[u/GuerillaRiot → u/iam1whoknocks]

My luck the next room would be where the K9 sleep

[u/berniedankera]

Loony Tunes ass escape

[u/xScottieFacePalmx]

There would have been two layers of sheet rock. On both sides of the none existing studs

[u/Flat-Cover9873]

If he really killed like 3 person then he really didn't have anything to lose not to try anything to escape

[u/Separate_Finance_183]

Article: Video shows suspect escape attempt after family killed in New Mexico - KOAT

[u/ThatsJustMyToeThumb → u/Separate_Finance_183]

Thanks for posting the story!

Side note but OMG that reporters nasally voice is the WORST holy crap!

[u/tunakassirolle → u/Separate_Finance_183]

Uh WHOA that is a heck of a ride. Breaking out of the cardboard box jail cell is the least interesting thing about this story, that guy is bananas

[u/GrimMilkMan]

ngl, i usually believe innocent until proven guilty but I think this guy did it this time

[u/TitsMaGraw]

I don’t think he even scraped the edges of that hole as he went thru…..crazy

[u/verivicious]

Definitely innocent

[u/Ancient_Yellow_709 → u/verivicious]

Dude had already admitted to killing them according to the article. He was tripping or having a mental episode, though, because apparently their wounds had also already healed and then he had the grand idea to bury their bodies before calling and talking to the cops.

[u/Hellebore35 → u/Ancient_Yellow_709]

No their wounds had not healed, he unfortunately is schizophrenic and that was part of his delusion after killing his whole family.

[u/Ancient_Yellow_709 → u/Hellebore35]

Yeah, I'm saying he killed them and then was in a delusion where their wounds healed...not that they actually did heal. Lol. See "he was tripping or having a mental episode".

[u/cky311]

Plot twist, he was the guy who installed the drywall!

[u/FANTASMA-W]

Essa parede é feita de casca de ovo

[u/akeerun]

NA walls

[u/AgitatedInfluence630]

Merican infrastructure 🤡

[u/licalier]

What 3rd world us state was this?

[u/Demodras777]

Now try that in Germany.

[u/Scotty1928]

Please tell me this is un the bigliest of the greatest countries of the world, the US of A?

[u/Zealousideal-Dig9397]

Why the hell is the wall so thin if they know they'll be holding killers and shit in there 😂

[u/OMWinter]

"While in custody, Mestre exhibited erratic behavior, scribbling notes about “seismic waves” and claiming he shot at cell towers. Mestre was charged with three counts of murder, four counts of tampering with evidence, and extreme cruelty to animals. Additional charges of escape from police custody and criminal damage to property were added to his case after his escape attempt."

https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/2024-11-18-murder-suspect-kicks-hole-in-interrogation-room-wall-during-escape-attempt/

[u/one_two_six]

He realized when he heard someone fart in the next room over.

[u/thejohnd]

OpenAI agents escaping sandbox, 2026

[u/D3VOUR3DD]

Jesus… paper mache police station

[u/Responsible_Big1229]

Those wall studs are more than 16" on center!

[u/louieambatukam]

american craftmanship at its finest🤣🤣

[u/TheNativeOfficial]

American wall

[u/Ariar2077]

US walls lmao

[u/Ok-Dare1500]

Thought it said Mulder and I couldn’t remember this Xfiles scene 😅

[u/LeSamourai1970]

Oh, marvelous. Actually, one of times Ted Bundy escaped custody, this was more or less how he did it - went through a ceiling up into an unoccupied room above, then off and away. We used to know how to BUILD things in this country, damnit!

[u/nursescaneatme]

Why was he not cuffed? If I was holding a suspect that killed 4 people (yes, I’m counting the dog) he’d be cuffed to the desk with ankle cuffs too.