Mary Elyce Halcomb was a 20-year-old woman from Mapleton, Illinois, described by her family as having a heart the size of Texas. She was studying to become a nurse, played softball, and was close to her mother and two younger siblings.

On the evening of September 6, 2024, Peoria police responded to a report that a woman had shot herself at a residence in the 1400 block of South Griswold Street. Officers found Mary on a stairwell landing with a single gunshot wound to her neck and a gun in her hand; she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators soon noted a blood trail from a downstairs bedroom to the landing, suggesting she had been moved after being shot. A handwritten note was found in the bedroom that mentioned Nathaniel Archuleta and contained language about euthanizing her if she broke his heart; Mary’s parents later confirmed the handwriting matched hers.

Police questioned Mary’s 18-year-old boyfriend, Nathaniel Archuleta, who was at the home; he gave conflicting accounts, first saying Mary died by suicide and later saying a gun he was cleaning accidentally discharged. Investigators reported no gun-cleaning supplies in the residence. Archuleta was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Did anyone in the Peoria area know Mary, where she spent time, or have information about that night?