Richard Patterson, 67, was shot and later died at San Juan Regional Medical Center after deputies responded to his County Road 3016 home in Aztec, New Mexico, on the evening of January 21, 2024. Deputies arrived after a family member placed a 911 call reporting a possible shooting and found Patterson alive but wounded; he was pronounced dead at about 8:58 PM.

The only other person at the residence was Patterson’s wife, 69-year-old Lucia E. Naranjo. Investigators say Naranjo contacted members of her family before the 911 call and confessed to shooting her husband, asking them to notify authorities. Detectives observed what they described as blood spatter in her hair and on her clothing; she was detained, questioned, and later arrested on charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Court proceedings mentioned conditions of release and questions about her competency to stand trial.

If anyone knew Richard or has information about the events at the County Road 3016 residence on January 21, please come forward.