Distraught woman leads police to body

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Authorities made a gruesome discovery when they responded to a report of a suicide attempt at a residence in the Spencer Valley area Wednesday afternoon.

Sgt. Melinda Billy-James, of the Crownpoint District of the Navajo Nation Police, confirmed that police found a body at a residence west of Gallup and said an arrest had been made in connection with the death.

“The case is still under investigation,” Billy-James said and released few other details of the incident pending the completion of a report about the suspected homicide.

Sgt. Albert Benally, an investigator for the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department, said deputies responded to a report of a woman threatening to commit suicide at a residence on Salt Water Wash Road.

The women reportedly told police that “she’d done something wrong” and was going to stab herself with a knife.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a body stored in either a refrigerator or ice box, according to reports.

“The woman trying to commit suicide led to the body,” Benally said.

Deputies subsequently secured the scene until FBI and tribal agents arrived at the location to began their investigation.

Bill Elwell, a spokesman for the FBI, was not available for comment about the situation as of 10:30 a.m.