Woman’s death labeled suicide

Initially believed to be homicide by police; man also shot, wounded

Although detectives initially believed the death of a woman in her home near the Pan American Freeway two weeks ago to be a possible homicide, they now say they believe she killed herself or had help to kill herself, and possibly also shot a man who has been hospitalized ever since.

When police were called to the 7100 block of the Pan American Freeway NE, near Osuna NE, on May 24 for a “possible suicide attempt” they found 54-year-old Ramona Paulsen dead of a gunshot wound, said Celina Espinoza, a spokeswoman for the Albuquerque Police Department. She said they also found a 66-year-old man who had been shot and was gravely injured, although police did not mention him in initial reports about the incident.

Police initially said the “suspicious nature of the call” made it a homicide investigation, but on Tuesday Espinoza said they have determined it was not a homicide.

“We are investigating whether this is two suicides — an attempted suicide and a suicide — or if this is an attempted assisted suicide and assisted suicide,”

Espinoza said.

She said detectives have not been able to interview the man, who is still hospitalized with his injuries, so they are not sure if he and Paulsen each shot themselves or if he shot her and then himself or if she shot him and then herself.

Espinoza said the case is an unusual one for detectives to investigate.

“We’re still working to put the investigation together and make sure it’s complete because there are two families that want answers,” she said.

Mychelle Rodriguez, Paulsen’s niece, is one of those family members who wants answers. She said she was frustrated and confused when reports about her aunt’s death didn’t mention that her aunt’s boyfriend had also been shot and remains unresponsive.

Rodriguez said she talked with Paulsen the day before her death, and she appeared to be in good spirits. She said Paulsen had suffered several strokes and had reduced verbal and motor skills.

“She was talking about me visiting her and was excited about her son and grandbaby coming to visit,” Rodriguez said. “There were no red flags whatsoever, she was very happy-go-lucky.”

Rodriguez said she and her family are struggling to understand what happened to Paulsen and are devastated that they may never know.

“We don’t know what happened in that house and we’ll never know because one is dead and one is a (gravely injured),” Rodriguez said. “Only two people know the answers.”