Unattended Death Quickly Solved
The first weekend of March turned out to be busy for the Cibola County Sheriff’s Department (CCSO). On Friday, March 3, the CCSO was dispatched to the Pine Meadows area near El Morrow after a body was discovered on an easement of a rural road.
According to Lieutenant Robert Turney, the condition of the body led investigators to believe it had been there for at least two days. The Office of the Medical Examiner (OMI) was called to the scene and the body was transported for an autopsy to establish the cause of death. It was determined the victim was shot and the body left where it fell.
There was no identification on the body, but a set of keys was found in the victim’s pocket which matched a rental van found stuck in the mud a short distance away. Inside the van, there was paperwork and other items with the victim’s name which led to the identification of the victim. The name of the deceased will not be released until the next of kin is notified.
Lieutenant Turney and Detective Gardner with the CCSO went to work interviewing and looking for clues. Once they received the ballistics and other findings from the autopsy performed by OMI, they identified a suspect, and search warrants were obtained.
Although a motive cannot be given due to this being an ongoing investigation, there is evidence a firearm was used in the crime. The suspect was briefly interviewed and denied involvement, but as interviews were conducted more people contradicted the suspect’s story; most of these details are in the affidavit and arrest warrant.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, in the early hours of March 8, 44-year-old David Brown of Pine Meadows was arrested and charged with Murder and Tampering with Evidence. David Brown had his first court appearance on March 8. The case has moved out of Magistrate Court to the 13th Judicial Court.
Lieutenant Turney stated the area where the body was found is very rural and about 8-10 miles of rough dirt road. “We are very appreciative of the Ramah Navajo Police Department for assisting us and for lending us space in their building to use. The El Morro Volunteer Fire Department which has helped the CCSO twice this month, Fire Marshall Dustin Middleton with the use of vital equipment, and the community of Pine Meadows whose cooperation was essential to solving this case.” It was stated Ramah Navajo Chief of Police Steven Eldridge deserved a special thank you for his assistance and for providing valuable resources.
A special high-clearance fire department vehicle with a wench was called in due to the amount of mud and rough terrain in the area – “it had to wench itself out a few times.” Due to communication issues because of the remote location, a special tactical team was called out for nighttime safety.
It was stated investigations take more than one person. “The various agencies helped, but the community fully cooperated and helped solve this case.” From start to finish it took the CCSO four days to solve the case.
Sheriff Diaz pointed out the importance of an interagency effort and community involvement in helping to not only solve crimes but to also deter them.
More information will be provided when it becomes available.