GRANTS, N.M. – On September 4, 2025, a Grants man was arrested in Roswell, New Mexico, and charged with murder after allegedly fatally shooting a Roswell man.
According to information released by the Roswell Police Department, two men had an ongoing conflict when 40-year-old Marcos Prieto, originally of Grants, showed up to 21-year-old Colton Porter’s residence at a mobile-home park. Police claim Prieto broke one of the windows to the residence and was calling for Porter to come outside. Porter armed himself with a knife and went outside. Others in the residence reportedly heard a gunshot moments later.
Investigators discovered that Porter had suffered a gunshot wound on his upper chest and was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Investigators learned from residents of the mobilehome park that after the gunshot, they saw a blue pickup truck speed away. After receiving a more detailed description of the truck Prieto was believed to be in, Roswell police officers started their search.
Within five minutes, an officer located the truck a few blocks away from the scene of the incident in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant. Prieto was alone inside it.
An RPD officer approached the truck and told Prieto to exit the vehicle. Reportedly, Prieto attempted to put the truck into gear and flee, but the officer managed to remove Prieto from the truck and handcuff him.
Prieto was then positively identified and arrested on a warrant from Grants for failure to appear.
Following his arrest, Prieto was allegedly found to be in possession of fentanyl pills, which were said to be inside the truck he was driving, and investigators found a handgun which is believed to be the weapon used in the shooting.
When the investigation by RPD’s Criminal Investigations Division was completed later that day, an arrest warrant for the shooting incident was ordered by a judge and Prieto was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a controlled substance, and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.
Prieto was booked into the Chaves County Detention Center.