MMA fighter kills one, fights off three others during invasion of his home

After a home invasion on New Year's Day, one man is dead, another is in the hospital and two others are in custody following an incident involving MMA fighter Joe Torrez.

When four men attempted to break into his New Mexico home, Torrez fought them off to defend himself, his fiancée and their 2-year-old son.

According to the arrest affidavit, one of the men, Leonard Calvillo, called Torrez and said, "I will kill you and your family." After making the threat, Calvillo, Nathan Avalos, Sal Garces and Raymond Garces broke into Torrez's home.

Following a fight, 25-year-old Sal Garces died from stab wounds and Avalos was taken to the hospital with "severe" facial injuries. Calvillo and Raymond Garces were arrested and face charges including aggravated battery, aggravated burglary and criminal damage to property. Avalos has not been charged but an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office has not charged Torrez, 27, at this time because authorities believe he acted in self-defense.

"In a matter of seconds, they were in the house," said Torrez’s attorney, C.J. McElhinney. "He was fighting for his life."

Torrez suffered minor injuries and nobody else in the home was injured.

[Las Cruces Sun-News] [Fox 14]