Woman Shot In The Chest Near Burn Lake
UPDATE: 3:00 P.M. New Mexico authorities now confirm that Monday’s shooting near Burn Lake was an attempted murder-suicide.
The small-caliber pistol jammed, investigators say,when Ray Aguilera turned the gun on himself. It is still unclear whether Aguilera’s common-law wife, Cecilia Flores was with him voluntarily or held against her will.
LAS CRUCES, N.M.- El Paso Sheriff’s Deputies arresta man wanted in connection with Monday afternoon’s shooting at Burn Lake that sent a woman to the hospital.
Ray Aguilera, 42, of 335 Golden Eagle in Chaparral, N.M., was arrested Monday evening by El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies in Vinton, Texas. Aguilera faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the Monday afternoon shooting that sent 26-year-old Cecilia Flores to an El Paso hospital with one gunshot wound to her chest.
Las Cruces Police received a call shortly after 4 p.m. that Flores had been shot in Las Cruces but was currently south of town near the intersection of Stern Dr. and Missionary Ridge, about one mile north of the I-10 Mesquite bridge.
Flores received emergency care at the scene and was airlifted to R.E.Thomason Hospital in El Paso, Texas, where she is listed in stable condition.
Las Cruces Police detectives have been able to determine that Flores was involved in a domestic argument with Aguilera, her common-law husband, and was shot once in the chest with a small caliber pistol. Detectives believe the shooting occurred in a car at Burn Lake in Las Cruces. It appears Aguilera then drove Flores in the Lincoln Mark VIII to an area off Missionary Ridge.
Investigators believe Aguilera received a ride from a friend and was driven to the Vinton area. Flores then walked a couple of hundred yards to Stern Dr. where she was found by a passerby who called for emergency help. The car and other evidence, including a .22 caliber semi-automatic hand gun, were found in a desert area off of Missionary Ridge.
Las Cruces Police detectives have learned that Aguilera had been served with a restraining order on Aug. 7, 2007. Flores was the petitioner on the order. Aguilerais expected to be extradited to New Mexico.
