Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Parents Abused 7 Kids in Underground Mud Caves For Years: Police

Episode Date: May 18, 2025

Melvin Cordell and his wife, Valerie Cordell, face a number of felony charges in New Mexico related to allegations that they sexually and physically abused their seven children for years. New Mexico State Police say the Cordells forced their children to live in caves and outdoors. The children range in age from six months to 16. The 35-acre property where they lived was full of trash and rotten food. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy has the body camera video and details about the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Cybercrime is becoming more dangerous daily. Don’t wait until it’s too late—protect your business with Apollo Networks’ top-tier cybersecurity solutions today. Get a free network health assessment and 50% off your first month! https://www.apollonetworks.com/crimefixHost:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5Producer:Jordan ChaconCRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this law and crimes series ad free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. New Mexico State Police. That looks like a bunker. Police find a horrific scene in New Mexico. Children forced to live in caves and squalor as state troopers say they endured years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents.

State police, search warrant. I go through the disturbing details of the case, what detectives discovered, and the charges the Cordell's face. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. I just want to remind you that we are now available both video and audio on Spotify. So please check us out there. There are some things you really, really, really have to see to believe. And this case is an example of that. It's absolutely disgusting and disturbing. I want to warn you. You will see the terrible conditions these children were living in with their parents

who were supposed to protect them. New Mexico State Police say the children were living on a 35-acre property with their parents in Luna County near Deming. Police say the children were forced to live in underground caves with tunnels for a decade, and they endured physical and sexual abuse. One child, according to troopers, became pregnant and was forced to undergo an abortion performed by her parents. Melvin Cordell and his wife Valerie Cordell face a number of serious felony charges, including abuse of a child and conspiracy to commit abuse of a child and sexual abuse charges.

The investigation started in October of last year. Troopers and detectives went to a dilapidated property that was littered with trash, containers of feces, and junk looking for the Cordell's. This is body camera footage from October 23rd, 2024. Yeah, let's go try to make contact. Let's take it easy. Are they big dogs? No, but I mean, they seem kind of scary. They're pretty scared of us. Okay.

So I'll see if they're gonna be in. Oh my gosh. I'm hot right now, so. Mervyn Cordell and Valerie Cordell. Melvin. Oh, Melvin. Yeah. Okay.

Let's try to make contact with them. Hello! Are they there? I don't see the white man. Just say hello. Like this old white van. I just heard a hello. What are they driving? Like this old white van? Yeah, maybe they parked it back here.

Let's go, let's go look. Hello, hello, New Mexico State Police. The dogs are back here. That's why I'm asking. I don't know. I don't have an idea. Just, I don't think they'doby-trapped anybody. You guys already know, just 48. There's a white man? Oh, okay.

So this is the camper. Now you can see just how messy the property is, and it only gets worse as police continue to walk through. Watch out. They're coming. I'm a scram. Hello! Hi, boy.

Hello! New Mexico State Police! That looks like a bunker. We're home, but we've made the attempt to see if they're home. Hello guys, hello! Mexico State Police! Mr. Cordell! Alvin Cordell! Mr. Cordell! How does he manage to get out of these clothes?

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Mr. Cordell. Alvin Cordell. How does he manage to get all these clothes in one spot? Our content shows you just how rampant crime can be. And that's especially true with cybercrime. Cybercrime is becoming more dangerous and widespread,

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Whoa, nobody. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This ain't right, dude. This pen? Yeah. Hey, bro, this is 473. You said county doesn't have anyone to call me? Help! Be clean! Be clean!

Be clean! One of them just hopped over that. One of them only grabbed his pole. That's still going east, huh? You heard a D4. What's the target right now? We'll be fine. Dude, his hooves are overgrown. Look at that, bro. That's not okay. They don't even clean his pen, bro. I'm going to call livestock.

Yeah. Hey. Now the police are not alone. They also have with them caseworkers from the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. Hello, guys. Hello. New Mexico State Police. Mr. Cordell. Melvin Cordell, Valerie Cordell. We want to talk to you guys real quick, we have CYFD here. Hello, hello. Hello, New Mexico State Police. Are you guys home?

I'm not sure if this down here is your guys' residence. We're trying to make contact with you guys. Hello, hello. What's that described? New Mexico State Police, hello. Is it right here? Is what they described? New Mexico State Police, hello! This is what they said they see? This is it right here. This is what they described? Yeah.

Hello! Is that their well? Probably. There's part of the bathroom stuff out here. We're just trying to make contact with you guys. Information, let's go. Hello? This can't be okay.

What? Bro, bro. No, stop please. Anyone here? No, no. This is a trampoline. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here.

Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here.

Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. Another trampoline here. No, no. This is the trampoline. Another trampoline here. Okay. So, Yeah, there's two more. That's probably some trap, I don't know. It might lead to something. It is good.

I see. Yeah, there's the bed. Someone called in a tip about criminal sexual acts involving a child, and that led police and children's services to the Cordell's. They're there out of concern for these children. Oh, is that a kitty? Watch out, kitty. I don't think they are. Let's just make that effort of the door, that we knocked on the door, in case they... We were in the trailer. Yeah. Crazy smell bro.

Alright Senorita. I can't. We checked the trailer. Trailer has stuff stacked up. The door is not secured. We came to check this trailer. There's stuff stacked up up the door I could probably push it in but if I'm knocking up in there so the only thing that I can think of the residents is what was described which is the bed because that least that's true that's

known to be true the little pooping containers that are everywhere my biggest concern is like if the kids are staying like there's a lot of concerns but just like there's no like barrier you know one of the little ones can just straight up fall in that big hole and really hurt themselves that's like my biggest thing right now is like that big old drop because even myself trying to walk through that is a little. Yeah so it's your call what else did you need? That was it dude okay we could check out the other address that we have where the other girl stays. The social workers and police keep looking around, and what they find is concerning to say the least. What pole? You have to look at these yogurts.

Is there an electrical pole somewhere? Is that the free food that they get? Yeah, but look, this isn't edible. Like, these yogurt's have to be. 100%, you're right. Yeah, look at, that's probably out in the sun. Yeah. Walmart's, or Deming's hot.

Okay. Whew. There's open stuff. Police will later say they determined the Cordell's 16-year-old daughter was being sexually abused by Melvin Cordell since she was 12 years old. Prosecutors now say the teenage girl and her six siblings were being abused. The youngest child was just six months old. Police say the children were forced to sleep outside. Police

found mattresses outdoors, and sometimes the children slept in broken down vehicles like this van. Photos show entrances to the caves and tunnels where the children also found shelter. Police said at times the children were starved. The teenage girl, according to the prosecutor, had been sexually abused by Melvin Cordell since she was at least 13, possibly 12. The troopers and social workers do not find the Cordells that day in October, so they come back the next day, October 24th. How's it going, Melvin? Melvin and Valerie Cordell appear at the entrance of their property, and they're was thirsty. Did she, you guys don't want to sit in the car for a second?

I mean, that way you have the air conditioning and stuff. Because they'll be here in about five minutes and then you guys can talk to Agent Carillo and stuff. I think they mentioned yesterday, they mentioned yesterday, they mentioned yesterday Agent Carrillo's rank, but I didn't catch it. I have no disrespect to him. Right. He should be here in a minute, so he can talk to you, let us know what we're going to do, because he's the investigator for this. But like he said, I can give you a place to sit. You're welcome to wait in the car until he shows up. It's up to you. Just go wait over there. Take a seat. He'll be here in a moment.

The Cordell's new police were coming to talk with them, and they appear willing to speak with the agent. They seem like they're trying to play it cool. They make a little small talk with the agent. They seem like they're trying to play it cool't talked to him in several years. Oh, okay. He offered to sell it to us, but at the time... I forgot what state he's from. Yeah, he's back east. I still have his information, but we weren't able to at the time. Gotcha. And so I suppose the offer still stands, but...

Maybe so. We've got enough right now. We've got quite the space out here. Yeah. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough.

We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. We've got enough. If you so want. Enough right now.

We've got quite the space out here. How did you acquire this land? My mom, she purchased this 10 acres, not these five that were on here, but the 10 acres after. And then whenever she had finished paying for it, they offered the surrounding property just to take over the payment. 25 more acres, so altogether it's 35. So we started buying the rest of it. Eventually, the conversation turns to the family's diets and habits when it comes to groceries and gardening.

Well, vegetable gardening, for the most part. I would rather, see, we're not interested in market produce because we would rather just be self-sustaining and then be able to feed others, you know, be able to share. We had a lot of horses, but every time we left, whoever threatened our kids, every time we came back, one of our horses was dead yeah we lost livestock lots of it we had we had a pretty good collection of dogs ourselves

and they kind of protected our place for a while. But then they were taken, and as soon as they were taken, the sorbets and livestock began. Were you actually able to grow any crops? With my oldest son, we were watering our own cucumbers, tomatoes, and... Oh, very good. Well, we mix it with water first. We're right here. I was going to say, yeah, I'm not

sure. This is 270. 270. Well, it's more... It's got the nutrition it needs, but it doesn't have the water retention. It seems a little rich to listen to Melvin Cordell talk about, summer and winter, exposed them to human feces in buckets located all around the property,

exposed them to open surroundings with no means for safety from outside human disturbances, animal disturbances, human diseases, and exposed them to the lack of showers for long periods of time and self-cleanliness. Now back to October 24th, detectives arrived to interview the Cordells. I don't even want to know what the order bill would be. Agent, welcome to our place. Thank you. You guys, you know, less than two months later, police go back to the property with a search warrant. It's December 17th of 2024.

At first, investigators don't really understand the terrain they're navigating. But then they approach what they believe to be the area where Melvin and Valerie Cordell live. You two with me? Say, police, search warrant! If you're out here and hear me, make yourself known. State Police, State Police. If you're out here and hear me, make yourself known! I'm gonna check that area right there. It's used as a little bedding area.

Watch me. There's a bunch of, like, random areas where they stay at. The investigators enter multiple trailer homes, but they don't find anyone. State police, search warrant! If you can hear me, make yourself known! Hey police, search warrant! Gå inn i korset. Probably one of the cleaner trailers. You check that one? Neste rute, deus mei, separei deus. The only people here should be the adults, right? Yeah. Around the same time, police search an actual house where the Cordells also lived. Police! Stay put, search warrant!

Stay put, search warrant! Clear. Kvar. а Stepping out! Hey, what's the date here? His kids. His kids? Nå er det en liten avsnitt av min video. Stay place, search warrant! Now back at the property with the caves, police eventually find Melvin and Valerie Cordell. And these are the ones that you use like, you never used them? What happened to the one that, or do you still have the one that you did use by any chance? No, we don't have one that we used. We had one years ago, but it doesn't really belong anymore. It doesn't?

I don't even know where that's at, though. Do you still have that one? I don't know where it would be. You don't know where where that's at, though. Do you still have that one? I don't know where it would be. You don't know where it would be at? No. Okay. I'm trying to remember when. Okay.

Go away. Go away. Oh, they're storing the boxes and everything. Stop. Stop. Stop it. I have taken this one out, and I tried to connect it with our phone. I don't think I ever did.

I was going to, but I don't think that I ever did. This one I have charged it, and I powered it on once. Do you need it? The box is dirty. Do you need me to better with the box and everything? Yeah, I think so. We'll keep everything together. We'll take the box too and everything. This is just the key that my wife gave me. No, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're good. You're good. I'm sorry for the mess. As soon as we parked this, we got overrun with mice.

Oh, no. Come on. Oh, no. Okay. They have to stay clean. Yeah. The fans are going to be all... You're good. You're good. It's the end of the day. They have to stay clean, too. Yeah. Fans are going to be all... You're good.

They're good. It's the end of the day. It's hard to believe that Melvin Cordell is apologizing about mice, given the condition of the rest of the property. Melvin and Valerie Cordell were finally taken into 24 felonies, including 16 counts of child abuse and other charges, including criminal sexual contact of a minor and tampering with evidence. Valerie Cordell faces 18 counts. Some are similar to the charges her husband faces.

Both are being held without bond as they await trial. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.