Valencia County Sheriff's Office Files Civil Suit Against Thomas Wayne Rodriguez

A civil action by the Valencia County Sheriff's Office against Thomas Wayne Rodriguez was filed in New Mexico District Court, Valencia County, under case number D-1314-CV-2026-00257 on Feb. 24, 2026, according to an online court-record summary. The summary lists the case type as "civil - other" but does not include the complaint text or claims.

The filing follows a violent confrontation tied to a September 29, 2024 incident in the 100 block of La Ladera at 3:11 P.M., when deputies reported neighbors saw Thomas Rodriguez of Los Lunas firing a rifle into the air. Valencia County Sheriff’s Office deputies say Rodriguez was confirmed armed, ignored commands, retreated into his home, and deputies made contact with his elderly mother, identified as Carol Cyrus. VCSO's press release states Rodriguez later surrendered and "was transported to the Valencia County Detention Center where he was booked on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon."

There are unresolved questions about Rodriguez's criminal-processing status. KOAT cited court documents and reported that "According to court documents, as of Tuesday, there is a warrant out for Rodriguez's arrest." That statement appears to conflict with the VCSO release describing a surrender and booking; KOAT's excerpt did not include a date for the "Tuesday" it referenced.

The sheriff's office has publicly described the case as part of an officer-involved shooting investigation that remains under state review. The VCSO told residents, "The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) is cooperating with the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) in the investigation of the recent officer involved shooting (OIS). At this time, VCSO cannot release the details of the OIS pending the formal interview of our deputies that are involved. VCSO supports the integrity of the NMSP investigation and does not want to contaminate their investigation. The deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on standard administrative paid leave. VCSO remains committed to governmental transparency to keep our [...] remains committed to governmental transparency to keep our community well informed. We are currently preparing for a release of information and body worn camera footage upon NMSP completing those interviews. We ask for the public’s patience as we allow NMSP agents to complete their work. We expect to have a significant release of information late next week."

Local reporting has linked the September 29, 2024 shooting to the death of Michael Gabaldon, whom KOAT identified as a former Valencia County sheriff deputy and a military veteran. KOAT reported the Gabaldon family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Valencia County Sheriff's Office and that attorney Laura Ives told the station, "This is an utter tragedy of the county's making. Nobody should be put in this position. Law enforcement has a monopoly on protection. They have a monopoly on a kind of state violence. And in this instance, they didn't do what they needed to do to protect this family, to protect this neighborhood." KOAT also quoted Gabaldon's widow in December 2024 saying, "He's trying to protect us and gets shot."

The online court-record summary that records the Feb. 24, 2026 filing does not display the underlying complaint, so the specific allegations or relief sought by the Valencia County Sheriff's Office are not yet public. The VCSO press release lists Sheriff Denise Vigil and Undersheriff Jeff Noah on agency letterhead; Sheriff Vigil is quoted in the release saying, in part, "Any loss of life in our community is a tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the deceased. I want my community to know that the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office is fully cooperating with the State Police agents to ensure a proper and thorough investigation is conducted."

Public records that would clarify timing and claims include the full civil complaint for D-1314-CV-2026-00257, any criminal docket or warrant records for Thomas Wayne Rodriguez, and the Gabaldon family wrongful-death complaint filed in May 2025. The Valencia County Sheriff's Office lists its mailing address as P.O. Box 1585, 543 Luna Ave., Los Lunas, NM 87031 and its phone as (505) 866-2400. Court dockets in Valencia County will be the key documents to explain why the sheriff's office initiated this civil suit months after the September 2024 incident.