Town file
Tijeras, New Mexico
Tijeras, New Mexico is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 230, "The Miracle Murder" (1 July 2021).
- Town
- Tijeras
- State
- New Mexico
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 230
- Approximate location
- 35.086, -106.378
Episode 230 / 1 July 2021 / 167 min / full
The Miracle Murder
"This is north central New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque, kind of off into the east mountains off of Albuquerque." about 0:05:41
The case: Murder of Cindy Ray (July 23rd, 1987). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2021
- Population
- 596
- Median household income
- a little over $73,000
- Median home value
- $261,400
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $979
- Cost of living
- 99
- Religious
- about 48%
- Property crime
- ▼ about 20% under the national average
- Violent crime
- about average, slightly below
History, in brief
- The Tijeras Pueblo archaeological site was occupied by ancestral Pueblo people from 1313 to 1425. about 0:07:10
- It had about 200 rooms in terraced buildings arranged in a big U shape. about 0:07:28
- It was partially abandoned in about 1360, rebuilt in about 1390, and finally abandoned after about 1425, probably because of drought or water shortages. about 0:07:42
- The area was part of a land grant created in 1763 to defend Albuquerque from raids by Comanches, Kiowas and plains Apaches. about 0:08:25
- Nineteen men settled there; natives attacked and killed several of them, and the settlers abandoned the area in 1771 before drifting back in about 1819. about 0:08:39
The reviews read out
three stars
"Lived here all my life; very nice to look at but difficult to move around and be close to anything depending on where you live; the weather is very weird but still good."about 0:10:05
four stars
"Living in a smaller mountain community is wonderful, close enough to drive into Albuquerque but you can still maintain the mountain lifestyle."about 0:10:53
four stars
"After walking a neighbour's dog, found over a dozen dogs in the neighbourhood; occasional lynx, brown bear, coyotes, hummingbirds, squirrels, mountain jays and skylarks, and a block party in the cul-de-sac."about 0:11:42
five stars
"Perfect; we don't really have crime here, but often people driving to the mountains are lost and take the wrong side of the exit ramp."about 0:13:19
four stars
"Doesn't really like New Mexico, but this is a good location in the state, close to Albuquerque yet greener and quieter; better places like Santa Fe and Sandia Park, but Tijeras and Cedar Creek come a close second; been here three years and won't live elsewhere in New Mexico."about 0:13:59
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Bernardo, New Mexico53 miles
- Chimayo, New Mexico68 miles
- Fort Sumner, New Mexico129 miles
- Hondo, New Mexico134 miles
- Flora Vista, New Mexico152 miles
- Farmington, New Mexico153 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.