On the evening of December 26, 2024, a Rio Rancho neighborhood was the scene of a fatal shooting that left 44-year-old Adelita Valencia-Dean dead. Police were called about 6:30 p.m. for a shooting near Willow Creek Road and Animas Court. A neighbor reported hearing gunshots and then seeing Adelita running from her home, screaming for help. The neighbor said Adelita was chased by her wife, 45-year-old Darlene Valencia-Dean, who was carrying a shotgun, and that Darlene shot Adelita in the stomach as she tried to hide behind mailboxes. Adelita was found with a gunshot wound to her torso, transported to a local hospital, and did not survive.

Officers detained Darlene at the scene; a shotgun was later found down the street and the couple’s home showed signs of gunfire. Court records show a prior history of domestic violence, including a 2022 allegation that Darlene threatened Adelita with a knife that was later retracted. Darlene was booked and charged; a judge ordered her held pending trial. Did anyone in the neighborhood know the couple or witness events that night?