A New Mexico man was arrested for murder Monday after he reportedly told law enforcement that he was trying to prove himself to a Mexican drug cartel.

Anthony Breeding, 35, was arrested and charged with murder in the first degree for the Dec. 5 slaying of Jose Angel Rivera, 35, outside his Hobbs residence, the Lea County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

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Deputies were dispatched to Rivera’s home at around 1 a.m. over reports of an unconscious male. Once on the scene, they discovered a deceased male who was later identified as Rivera.

Police found a gun on the scene but investigators soon determined that it was not the one that had been used to kill the victim.

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The following day, on Dec. 6, police received an anonymous tip leading them to Breeding.

Deputies found the firearm in a chicken coup in a residence, which led to authorities detaining Breeding.

He told police that he and two other men were attempting to collect a $30,000 debt from Rivera when a confrontation between the four broke out. As the three suspects were leaving the property, an armed Rivera slowly backed into a carport.

That’s when Breeding says he fired three to four rounds in Rivera’s direction before their car took off.

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Lea County Sheriff Corey Helton told the Associated Press Breeding was working for a Mexican drug cartel. He reportedly claimed that he wanted to prove himself to the cartel.

He was charged with murder, receiving a stolen firearm, felon in possession of a firearm and attempt to commit aggravated burglary. He is being held in the Lea County Detention Center on no bond.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.