Four found shot to death in Rio Rancho
Investigators do not believe there is a threat to the public
Authorities say multiple people were found dead in a home in Rio Rancho’s Northern Meadows subdivision on Christmas Day.
Rio Rancho Police Department Capt. Andrew Rodriguez said officers “found four people inside the residence deceased as a result of what we believe to be gunshot wounds.”
He said investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public. He also confirmed that no suspect is in custody.
Rodriguez said authorities received a call, and Rio Rancho police officers responded to the home on the 3400 block of Martin Meadows Drive NE in Rio Rancho at 4:14 p.m. on Wednesday. Those officers found the deceased victims.
Authorities have not released the names, ages or the genders of the victims, or whether they are related. Rodriguez also said he could not elaborate on why Rio Rancho police do not believe that there is a threat to the public.
“We still have to get a warrant to be able to continue our investigation, but we are not actively looking for anyone else at this time,” Rodriguez said. He stressed that this is an ongoing investigation and additional information would be released as it becomes available.
Rodriguez said the Office of the Medical Investigator had been notified of the deaths.
The deaths occurred in a middle-class neigh
borhood where many of the single-story homes were decked out in holiday lights. On Wednesday night, those holiday lights were drowned out by the emergency lights from Rio Rancho police vehicles. At least a block around Martin Meadows had been roped off as officers secured the scene. A couple of officers stood outside talking in the chilly night air.
Rodriguez said responding to a tragedy like this “is unfortunate, no matter what day.”
“But it’s even worse when it’s a holiday like this when our officers just want to spend time with their families like anyone else,” he said. Nevertheless, he added, Rio Rancho police will always do “their best to keep the city safe.”