A shooting in a busy Walmart parking lot is believed to be an incident of domestic violence, Farmington police say after completing its initial investigation.
A 53-year-old man, who was from Shiprock, was reportedly in a “prior relationship” with a 40-year-old woman, and he allegedly confronted her at work. The woman is an employee at the West Main Walmart, and she was shot around 12:30 p.m. Sept. 19 in her car outside of the business.
The man turned the gun on himself after shooting the woman. He died, and she was left hospitalized in serious condition.
“I didn’t know what we were going to find when we got the call to get over there,” Farmington police chief Steve Hebbe said. “Anything that happens like this is shocking. To do this in a public place with other people around, it was shocking.”
Hebbe said investigators have not been able to speak to the woman, who had life-threatening injuries. Farmington police also have not been able to release the names of the man or the woman.
“We are still trying to get all of the next of kin notified and trying to speak with her when she’s able,” Hebbe said.
The Walmart closed for nearly 24 hours after the shooting as police conducted its investigation.
Farmington PD has made a concerted effort in 2024 to focus on domestic violence after four homicides in less than 12 months involved either family members or domestic partners.
The department is providing training for young officers on how to deal with and investigate domestic violence, while also working with victim’s advocates.
Hebbe said he would also like to develop “an experimental program – a project we can run with the courts to identify violent offenders.”
“Domestic violence is going to be an area of emphasis for us this year,” he said.
December 2023 and January 2024 brought a rash of domestic violence-related homicides, according to Hebbe.
The first was Dec. 13 at a home in the 2800 block of Parque de Oeste in Westland Park, where Brigitte Johnson, 34, was found fatally stabbed. Police have not made an arrest in this case, but they have identified a “significant person of interest” in Johnson’s death. Police are investigating a “domestic association” with that case, according to Hebbe.
On Jan. 1, Farmington police investigated another homicide at a trailer in the Alexander Trailer Park, 1124 Fairgrounds Road. In this case, Orson Dickie, 25, is accused of killing his brother Payson Dickie, 27, with a box cutter. This case is moving through the courts and a status conference is set for Oct. 15 in the Eleventh Judicial District Court.
By Jan. 10, there was another homicide. This time Shane Jake John, 26, allegedly killed his girlfriend’s brother, 28-year-old Matthew Martinez, at the Encore Motel, 1900 E. Main St. John’s jury trial is set in February 2025 in the Eleventh Judicial District Court.
The third homicide of 2024 came on Jan. 15, when Farmington PD found Kelsie Todacheeny, 33, dead inside a home on East 20th Street.
