Investigation into Aztec shooting could take months

FARMINGTON — The multiagency investigation into the Aztec High School shooting is progressing, and investigators believe it could take months before the case is wrapped up.

The San Juan County Sheriff ’s Office, the FBI and the New Mexico State Police are investigating the Dec. 7 shooting where junior Francisco “Paco” Fernandez, 17, and Senior Casey J. Marquez, 17, were shot and killed by a shooter who later killed himself.

The sheriff’s office is currently following up on leads, including interviews with witnesses to the shooting, according to Det. Jarrod Slindee.

Some of the search warrants signed and sealed on Dec. 7 by District Judge Sandra Price included requests for information on the students in the 500 and 900 buildings of Aztec High School during the shooting, according to a copy of the warrants. The warrants were unsealed Dec. 8.

Slindee described the investigation as a unified effort between the three agencies.

“The case will be open for a long while,” Slindee said.

A search warrant was approved to search the home of shooter William Atchison on Dec. 7.

Deputies and FBI special agents went to the residence on the 1000 block of Rio Hondo Road following the shooting and made contact with the shooter’s mother as they cleared the interior of the house, according to the search warrant.

An inventory of items collected from the home includes a box for a Glock handgun, empty boxes of 9mm ammunition, shotgun shells, a .22-caliber rifle and a metal box with various casings and ammunition in it, according to court documents.

Slindee declined to comment on who the items belonged to.