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Milan Police Respond to Fatal Shooting at Bar S RV Park, Grants Man Arrested -
Milan Police Respond to Fatal Shooting at Bar S RV Park, Grants Man Arrested
Billy Lee Roberts In Milan, New Mexico, Viviana Galindo was found shot dead in a car at Bar S RV Park. Suspect Billy Lee Roberts was detained on site, allegedly admitting to the act. Investigations indicate a troubled relationship between Galindo and Roberts. Evidence, including a gun, was discovered in a nearby trailer. Roberts now faces First Degree Murder charges, with New Mexico State Police leading the case. The above photo is a courtesy picture that was sent to the Cibola Citizen, and not a photo from the night in question. Courtesy Photo
MILAN, N.M. – The Bar S RV Park in Milan, New Mexico, was disturbed by an act of violence that resulted in the murder of a Cibola County woman. Officers arrested Billy Lee Roberts of Grants and charged him for the alleged murder.
The information in this story was obtained after the Cibola Citizen filed an Inspection of Public Records Act request with the New Mexico Department of Safety. DPS, the state entity which oversees the New Mexico state Police, released a police report over 500 pages long to the media. There is no detailed account of the specific events leading up to the shooting in this trove of information. The reports primarily focus on the aftermath of the incident: the scene, the observations made by the officers, and the initial reactions and statements made by Roberts.
Around 3:59 p.m. on August 24, 2023, Milan Police Department officers responded to a call from a male who claimed he had killed a woman. On arrival at the RV park, located at 1860 Piñon Drive, they discovered a dark Hyundai Sedan with an open driver door and a white Puma travel trailer in space number 23.
A woman, found inside the Hyundai with a gunshot wound to the right side of her face, was declared deceased on the scene. She was later identified as Viviana Galindo.
A male, later identified as Billy Lee Roberts, approached officers from behind the trailer. According to the police report, blood spatter was evident on his face, wrists, and hands. As he was taken into custody, he allegedly said, “I didn't mean to do it” and “she's dead” when speaking with officers.
According to the police report, neighbors and family members painted a complicated picture for officers. Officers were told that Galindo and Roberts were in a relationship for about a year, which community members described as tumultuous with several separations and reconciliations. Galindo had reportedly expressed intentions to leave the relationship multiple times in the past year.
In their preliminary investigation, officers discovered blood droplets and a black sub-compact firearm inside the travel trailer, near the entrance. Further investigations are ongoing, but initial statements from neighbors confirm at least one gunshot was heard before the police arrived.
After being detained, Roberts was taken to the Milan Police Department. Following his expression of suicidal thoughts, he was transported to Cibola General Hospital, only to be returned to police custody later. New Mexico State Police are now leading the investigation.
Roberts was booked at Cibola County Correctional Center and charged with First Degree Murder (Willful and Deliberate). He was seen in the courtroom of the Honorable George Eichwald on September 7 where he was ordered to remain in custody until a trial can be scheduled.