The body of an unidentified white female was found on the west side of Gallup Jan. 11, near an open field and between the TA truck stop and County Road 1, officials said.

Capt. Marinda Spencer, public information officer with the Gallup Police Department, said a passerby discovered the body at around 7:30 am and called authorities.

“The person was deceased upon arrival,” she said. “The investigation is ongoing.” Spencer said foul play was suspected in the situation, but declined to elaborate saying the case is still open.

Spencer did not give the age range of the deceased or say what type of condition the body was in. The location where the body was found is close to a...

The Gallup fire and police departments responded to what is believed to be a deliberately set motel fire Jan. 10 that was done by an unknown person.

Accordingly, the cause of the fire has been determined as arson. There were no reported injuries in the fire.

Capt. Marinda Spencer, public information officer with the Gallup Police Department, said officers were dispatched to the Budget Inn, 3150 W. Highway 66, at 5:37 am. Spencer said officers observed smoke coming from west side of the building and from the first floor of the structure.

“There was a male in the room trying to put out the fire,” Officer John Gonzales wrote in the police report on the matter. “Gallup Fire...

A known druggie was released from the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, only to face felony and misdemeanor charges in Bernalillo County, records show.

Corey Daniel, 23, was released from custody on Dec. 26 by 11th Judicial District Court Judge Lyndy Bennett after an admission of a violation of probation.

That case was in court Dec. 16 and dealt with breaking and entering and concealment of identity charges, records show.

The case dates back to August 2015 when McKinley County Sheriff’s deputies caught Daniel in a Thoreau storage unit that was not hers. At the Dec. 16 hearing, Daniel admitted to testing positive for methamphetamine.

Theresa Gomez, her defense attorney in...

Darrell Desiderio of Twin lakes was released on his own recognizance Jan. 11 after being arrested on a variety of warrant charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving and resisting arrest.

Desiderio, 39, was arrested Dec. 27 after a three-month search, according to jail records. He was housed at the McKinley-County Adult Detention Center on a $12,000 cash bond.

Gabrielle Puhuyesva, an investigator with the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, had been looking for Desiderio in connection to a stolen car incident dating back to September 2015.

At one juncture, the vehicle was seen near the Fire Rock Navajo...