Woman jailed on murder charge

A Tucumcari woman remains in the county jail after being accused of fatally shooting a local man in the back of the head at Five Mile Park.

Ashley Danielle Hall, 22, is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. The murder charge is a capital felony that requires a sentence of life in prison if she is convicted.

Hall is accused of shooting Ernest Arguello, 32, also of Tucumcari, during an argument on March 11 at the park on the city’s west side.

According to the criminal complaint and affidavit filed by New Mexico State Police Patrolman Kenneth Villarreal, Brian Larson found Arguello’s body about 200 yards from the park entrance. Larson told officers he walks at the park regularly.

Arguello later was identified through tattoos on his body.

Tucumcari Police Chief Patti Lopez said the body was reported about 4:30 p.m. March 11. She said city police officers secured the scene until New Mexico State Police arrived to take over the investigation.

Police dispatchers notified law enforcement that Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari had admitted a woman who was suicidal and said she had shot and killed her friend at Five Mile Park, court documents stated.

Hall’s mother told police her daughter had tried to slit her wrist in the bathroom of their home.

During an interview with police, Hall said she and Arguello got into an argument in her car at Five Mile Park. She said she shot Arguello in the back of the head with his gun.

Hall told police she pulled Arguello out of her car after shooting him. Realizing he may need medical attention, she said she tried to pull him back in, but he was too heavy.

She said she panicked, drove away and purchased razor blades from a local store so she could slit her wrists. She told police she suffers from schizophrenia.

A search warrant on Hall’s car found a .22-caliber revolver with two spent cartridges.

District Attorney Timothy Rose filed a motion to keep Hall in jail while her case is being adjudicated, saying she is “a substantial danger to the community and herself.”

Hall faces a pretrial detention and preliminary hearing on March 27 in front of District Judge Waylon Counts. According to court documents, Jonathan Schildgen of Santa Fe is Hall’s attorney.