New Mexico Woman Killed by Man She was Collecting Evidence Against to Put Him Behind Bars

A New Mexico woman was working to compile evidence to put a man behind bars when she was shot and killed by the same man, according to authorities.

Vincent Galvan, 38, has been charged with one count each of murder in the first degree, tampering with evidence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and felony possession of a firearm, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office said.

Galvan was Arrested After Investigators Received a Tip-Off, Evidence Linked Him to the Crime Scene

Ricki L. White, 38, was found dead in a parked SUV inside an abandoned property on South Roosevelt Road 6, a few miles across the border with Texas on May 12. Her body had reached advances stages of decomposition.

A tipster told authorities Galvan may have shot his on-again, off-again girlfriend whose relationship had long been violent and volatile, as reported by Eastern New Mexico News. Galvan was arrested May 14 after a chase with police that ended in Farwell.

The affidavit for arrest warrant filed against Galvan stated police found a gun in the vehicle in which Galvan had fled. The 9mm pistol appeared to have dried blood on the frame, the record shows. The gun’s caliber matches the projectile recovered from White’s body, it shows.

Investigators believe White was killed between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on May 5. Authorities tracked a cell phone they believe Galvan was carrying during that time to the site of White’s death. Mercedes Salazar, initially listed as another person of interest connected to the homicide, told police she loaned her phone to Galvan the night before.

A Folder Proving Galvan’s Prior Crimes was Found Inside White’s SUV

The affidavit shows Galvan confessed to friends that he killed White because she “had been threatening him.” When investigators searched the SUV in which White’s body was found, they discovered “a folder with discovery proving …prior crimes.” Authorities said the documents confirmed Galvan’s claim that White was compiling evidence to use against him with police.

Court records show multiple domestic disputes had occurred between the couple, some of them reported to police, and one involving White and Galvan pointing guns at each other. It wasn’t immediately clear if the purported evidence White had collected was previously unknown to authorities.

Galvan remains detained in the Farwell jail and will be extradited back to New Mexico after the Texas case against him is adjudicated.