Death by asphyxiation
Man uses barbecue grill to commit suicide

ABOVE: An official pours water on a bargecue grill outside a room at the Ranchito Motel in Gallup where a body was found Thursday. LEFT: Body is removed by officials. BELOW: Officials entered Room 21 with masks. [Photos by Daniel Zollinger / Independent}

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — Authorities investigated a suspected case of suicide at the Ranchito Motel on Coal Avenue Thursday afternoon.

Deputy Police Chief John Allen, a spokesman for the Gallup Police Department, said 20-year-old David Mingo, of Ramah, killed himself through carbon monoxide poisoning emitted by a small barbecue grill found inside Room 21.

Mingo’s family found him unconscious at about 2 p.m. and notified police. A medical examiner pronounced Mingo dead a short time later.

According to police scanner traffic, first responders were met with the toxic fumes when they walked into the motel room. A few officers at the scene inhaled bottled oxygen to rejuvenate themselves following the incident. Others wore masks when they entered the room to begin their investigation.

Allen said Mingo’s family had rented him the motel room for the past two weeks, and he requested they bring over the grill Wednesday.

He had reportedly threatened to commit suicide in the past. Allen said a note from Mingo was found in the room.
The motel’s tenants were not evacuated from the motel but were temporarily confined to their rooms by yellow police tape that blocked the exits from the motel.

Meanwhile, officers interviewed the grieving family who were waiting inside a pickup truck parked within the police scene. A few bystanders at the scene declined to comment about the situation.