Two shot dead in Pecos; suspect held on $1 million bond
A man and a woman were shot to death at close range Saturday night inside a Pecos home. One man is in custody.
Mark R. Valencia, 40, of Pecos, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 40-year-old Steven Singer and 48-year-old Eva Aragon, both of Santa Fe.
Valencia was arrested Saturday and booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center after police were called to a home on Camino Don Louis in Pecos Saturday around 9:30 p.m. by a man who called 911 to report he’d witnessed Valencia kill Singer and Aragon.
Officers with New Mexico State Police arrived to find Valencia sitting in a van on the property with blood on his hands and body, according to an arrest affidavit filed in San Miguel Magistrate Court.
Valencia was detained and officers entered the home to find Aragon and Singer dead from apparent gunshots.
The witness told dispatchers Singer and Valencia had an “altercation” earlier that night, and that Valencia threatened to get a gun.
Valencia left the home and retrieved a semi-automatic handgun from his vehicle. The witness told police he was in the kitchen when Valencia walked into the house and shot Singer “at least one time in the face,” according to the affidavit.
The witness said Aragon rushed to check on Singer, and that Valencia “stood over” her and said, “Is this what you want b—-?” He then shot her “at least one time in the head,” according to the affidavit.
The witness said Valencia was standing about two feet from Singer and Aragon when he shot them, and estimated that Valencia fired a total of eight times.
The witness said Valencia turned the gun on him and fired, but the bullet missed. The man ran to a bathroom and locked himself in a closet where he called police for help, relaying information to dispatchers. He told police that he heard Valencia shouting that he was “going to kill everyone,” according to the affidavit. Valencia attempted to gain entry to the closet and fired at least one shot through the door.
Officers interviewed Valencia after his arrest. He told police the three had been drinking beer and vodka when he and Singer got into an argument over a haircut, according to the affidavit. Valencia was upset because Singer had only cut part of his hair.
Valencia told police the two of them continued to “verbally provoke each other” throughout the night, and that he retrieved the gun because he feared for his safety due to Singer being bigger than him.
Valencia admitted to police that he intended to shoot Singer, but said Aragon got in the way, according to the affidavit. Valencia denied ever shooting at the witness.
Along with two counts of first-degree murder, Valencia is charged with one count of attempt to commit first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at a dwelling and negligent use of a deadly weapon.
During a Monday hearing, Judge Melanie Rivera set bond for Valencia at $1 million, cash only.
Valencia’s bond is scheduled to be reviewed during a hearing Thursday, and he is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Dec. 28.
