Dead woman identified

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Gallup police released the name of the woman who was found dead on the floor of a truck parked in the lot of a local grocery store Wednesday night.

She was identified as 41-year-old Orlinda Lee of Window Rock, according to Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a spokeswoman for the Gallup Police Department.

Authorities expect the results of Lee's autopsy within a matter of days.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Priscilla Antonio, of Yah-ta-hey, remains jailed at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in connection with Lee's death.

Gallup Police Officer Andrew Antone found Lee's body lying face down inside a Dodge four-door pickup when he responded to a report of domestic violence at the Shop 'N Save at Marguerite Street at about 7:30 p.m. Lee's acquaintances, Charlton Draper and Antonio, were arguing at the store about whether Draper should take Antonio home when police arrived and discovered Lee's body in Draper's pickup.

Draper told police he picked up the two women as hitchhikers on Wednesday. The trio drove around Gallup trying to purchase alcohol, but they were continually denied service by most alcohol vendors because of their level of intoxication.

However, the group eventually obtained alcohol at the Shop 'N Save and traveled to a remote location off County Road 1 to drink the beverages. Antonio and Lee then began to argue about whether to buy additional alcohol. A fist fight ensued between the pair in the back of the pickup as Draper drove the women toward Gallup.

During the altercation, Lee reportedly "passed out" and never regained consciousness, Antonio told authorities.

Toadlena-Pablo said Lee was described as "the aggressor" during the fight and Antonio thought Lee passed out due to the amount of alcohol she consumed during the course of the day.

She said the future of the case will be determined by the results of Lee's autopsy.

"We'll see where it goes from there," Toadlena-Pablo said.