{"id":117788,"date":"2016-01-17T17:43:44","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T00:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=117788"},"modified":"2016-01-18T16:53:13","modified_gmt":"2016-01-18T23:53:13","slug":"former-las-cruces-city-councilor-miguel-silva-dies-in-apparent-suicide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/01\/former-las-cruces-city-councilor-miguel-silva-dies-in-apparent-suicide\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Las Cruces City Councilor Miguel Silva dies in apparent suicide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Miguel Silva, a former Las Cruces city councilor who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2015, died Sunday in what police are calling an apparent suicide. He was 55.<\/p>\n

\"Miguel<\/a>

Courtesy photo<\/p>

Miguel Silva, shown here speaking in Las Cruces in 2011.<\/p><\/div>\n

City police spokesman Danny Trujillo released no details beyond saying that Silva\u2019s death on Sunday \u201cappears to be a suicide.\u201d Many local officials NMPolitics.net reached were obviously shaken by news of Silva\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said he would ask that the Las Cruces\u00a0flag in front of city hall be flown at half-mast in remembrance of Silva, who served on the council from 2007 until late last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of the successes we\u2019ve had here in Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico are the result of his support,\u201d Miyagishima said.<\/p>\n

Silva left office on Nov. 16, when Kasandra Gandara was sworn in<\/a> as the new councilor for District 1. Silva opted not to seek re-election to that seat last year so he could challenge Miyagishima for mayor.<\/p>\n

Miyagishima won re-election<\/a> in a three-way race with 51 percent of the vote. Silva won the support of 33 percent of voters.<\/p>\n

After losing that election, Silva said<\/a> he was evaluating his options and would remain involved in the community. He said he looked forward to continuing teaching English at Do\u00f1a Ana Community College.<\/p>\n

\u2018An important part of a major transformation\u2019<\/h3>\n

The council district Silva represented includes downtown, and he was heavily involved in that revitalization project. He also helped bring curbside recycling to Las Cruces.<\/p>\n

And Silva championed what former City Councilor Sharon Thomas called on Sunday a much-needed audit of the police department. She credited the audit, and Silva\u2019s work on it, with reducing complaints of excessive force against officers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it made a huge difference,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n

City Manager Robert Garza said Sunday that Silva \u201calways came to meetings prepared and had good, well-thought-out positions on the things he was most passionate about.\u201d He \u201cwas an important part of a major transformation in local government,\u201d Garza said.<\/p>\n

Unique hats and a big smile<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Silva was known for unique hats and a big smile. And he should be remembered \u201cfor his boisterous laugh and his genuine kindness to everyone he knew,\u201d Garza said.<\/p>\n

Last summer, Silva and State Rep. Bill McCamley rode their bikes alongside and encouraged runners in a 5K race. McCamley recalled Silva helping one woman who was struggling to finish.<\/p>\n