Judge killed by her husband in apparent murder-suicide

A municipal judge in New Mexico appears to have been fatally shot by her husband before he killed himself, authorities said.

Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies found the bodies of Diane Albert, 65, and Eric Pinkerton, 63, several dogs and a cat on Friday at their home in the Village of Los Ranchos, sheriff's spokeswoman Jayme Fuller said. She said Pinkerton apparently shot and killed them all before taking his own life.

Albert was a municipal judge for the Village of Los Ranchos, which borders Albuquerque, and was a former planning and zoning commissioner for the North Valley community. She also had served as a Los Alamos County commissioner and president of the Bike Coalition of New Mexico, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Fuller said a friend of the couple contacted the sheriff's office sometime before 4 p.m. on Friday "after receiving a troubling message" from Pinkerton. In the message, she said, Pinkerton stated that he had shot his wife and dogs and was going to kill himself.

A photo taken by the Albuquerque Journal showed sheriff's deputies removing ducks and other animals from the home after the incident.

The state auditor, Brian S. Colon, said in a Facebook post Saturday that Albert had been his friend for decades - "a kindhearted soul who always uplifted me and others."

"Diane always entered our home with a smile and usually wearing her bicycle helmet. What a loss," Colon wrote. "Rest in peace and know you spread goodness near and far."

"We are heartsick hearing the news of this senseless tragedy," Los Ranchos Administrator Ann Simon said. "Diane Albert, our elected municipal judge, was a longtime Los Ranchos resident, a brilliant mind, and a friend. We can't ignore that this happened on the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women."

Joe Craig, president of Friends of Los Ranchos, told the Journal he was shocked by the news. He and Albert were neighbors who worked together for several years on the planning and zoning commission.

"Just a nice, nice lady," Craig said. "I've never seen her with a mean bone in her body."

The nonprofit organization posted a tribute to Albert on Facebook, calling her an animal lover and avid bicyclist.

"For many residents of the village of Los Ranchos, Judge Diane Albert was more than just their municipal judge," the post says. "In many ways she was a bit of the spirit of Los Ranchos."

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.