A physical altercation between a Gallup man, his girlfriend and her son led to the arrest of David Halona, 28, of Gamerco.

When Deputy James Sanchez arrived at Halona’s address Nov. 22, a domestic dispute was in progress and medical units were on the scene. Medical personnel were attending to Halona, who had lacerations to his head.

On the way to the Gallup Indian Medical Center, Halona gave no information.

Sanchez then spoke to Marissa Marquez, who told him that she and Halona were at Sports Page Lounge in Gallup that afternoon drinking a 12-pack of beer.

Marquez said Halona got upset on the way home and accused her of cheating on him. She said she called her son, Kenneth...

Third open field death in November

Gallup Police are trying to determine the identity of a body found on the north side of Gallup early Nov. 26.

The badly decomposed body of a Native American male was found about 8:53 am by two passers-by near the football field at 631 N. Sixth St.

Police Captain Erin Toadlena-Pablo said there was no identification on the body and it is uncertain how long the body was there.

There is no official cause of death. But police are treating it as an open field death which means death was caused by exposure to the cold weather. It is the third open field death reported so far this winter season.

The two prior open field deaths were Nov. 2 and Nov. 10. On...

Family was traveling on I-40 when tragedy struck

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – On Dec. 1, New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau responded to Interstate 40 around mile post 114 in Cibola County, near the town of Laguna for an unresponsive 12-year-old female child, who’s condition was believed to be the result of child abuse.



State Police Investigations Bureau agents learned that Heather J. Rooks, 39, of Pahrump, NV was traveling through New Mexico to Nevada with her 17-year-old-son Khachadourian Rooks and her 12-year-old-daughter, in a van driven by Heather’s father.  Heather and her father were in the front seats while Khachadourian and the daughter were in the rear seats of...

Aftermath of multi-vehicle collision

A Crownpoint mother is facing two counts of child abuse, as well as contributing to the delinquency of a minor after an incident in Gallup Nov. 14.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Anthony Morales was on patrol when he observed a three-vehicle collision near the intersection of Boardman Avenue and Highway 66. A silver Nissan Sentra ran a red light on Highway 66 and slammed into the driver’s side of a white Chevrolet Silverado, which was traveling north on Boardman Avenue and turning left onto Highway 66.

The Silverado was hit with such force that it spun around 180 degrees and rolled into a red Chevrolet Malibu that was in front of Morales’...