Woman allegedly shoots, kills child’s father behind El Paso PetSmart
UPDATE (Aug. 10, 2026): The El Paso Police Department arrested and charged a 35-year-old woman with murder after it found a man's body in a car behind a PetSmart in Far East El Paso.
Police documents alleged Erica Michelle Yarbrough shot and killed 38-year-old Stephen Matthew Delgado. During the investigation, police learned the two have a child together.
ABC-7 previously reported that police found Delgado's body in a car behind a PetSmart store on Joe Battle Boulevard in Far East El Paso on Aug. 5. An investigation and autopsy report pointed to foul play, police said.
According to an arrest affidavit ABC-7 obtained, the deputy medical examiner reported gunshot wounds. At the crime scene, police found bullet casings and unfired bullets, documents said.
EPPD's Crimes Against Persons Unit later met with Delgado's family, who said he has a child with Yarbrough, according to documents.
Investigators found video from Aug. 2 between 8-9 p.m. It showed a pickup truck arrive behind the PetSmart and Delgado arriving in his car and stopping next to the truck, documents said. He then moved to a parking spot where police later found him dead.
The truck then moved next to Delgado's car and "suspected gunfire" showed in the video, police said. The truck then leaves the parking lot towards Joe Battle Boulevard.
Investigators learned through a license plate reader camera that the pickup truck was registered to a man that shared Yarbrough's last name, documents said. The license plate reader also revealed the truck had a history of her driving it.
Police also learned that on June 4, Yarbrough called EPPD to report an ex-friend that wouldn't leave her apartment, documents said. During the call, she said she had a gun, confirming she owned a firearm.
Police later found Yarbrough's address and found the pickup truck seen in the video parked nearby, documents said.
Surveillance of Yarbrough's home resulted in her arrest, police said.
Yarbrough allegedly confessed to meeting with Delgado, doing drugs with him, shooting him and leaving the parking lot to get rid of the gun, documents said.
She booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility Aug. 8, which is three days after police found Delgado's body.
(Courtesy: EPPD)
According to jail records, Michelle was booked on a $350,000 bond.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Police found a man's body in a vehicle behind a PetSmart in Far East El Paso Wednesday, the El Paso Police Department said.
It happened near 3700 Joe Battle Blvd., which is near the intersection with Montana Avenue. At the scene, ABC-7 saw police cars behind the PetSmart building. That area will be closed for a few hours, according to EPPD.
The person who reported the body to 911 said he passed by the vehicle, noted "something unusual about it," EPPD Officer Adrian Cisneros said. He called police after seeing the body inside. Officers arrived just before 9 a.m.
Officer Cisneros said the man's body had been in the vehicle "for a while," but it's unclear exactly how long.
Police don't know the cause of death or the person's identity. Officer Cisneros said the man may have been in his 30s.
The Crimes Against Persons Unit is investigating to determine whether foul play was involved.
Officer Cisneros said there's no public threat.
