Jessica Ann Chavez, 32, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest in her bedroom at an apartment on the 1700 block of Brazil Avenue in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on April 8, 2021. Officers responding to a shooting call about 6:15 a.m. pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators identified 24-year-old Ervin Eduardo Nafate Ruiz as the primary suspect; he had been in a relationship with Chavez for more than a year and was arrested in Poteau, Oklahoma, on April 9, 2021, then transported to the Sebastian County Detention Center and charged with first-degree murder.

Chavez’s sister, Myda, says the couple had a history of domestic violence, including prior threats with a firearm and physical abuse during pregnancy, though Chavez had not filed formal police reports. Chavez had recently given birth to a baby girl who was hospitalized but reported stable after the incident. Chavez’s family has launched a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs.

Any readers with information about this case or who knew Jessica are asked to come forward.