Shiprock, New Mexico – Armondo Paul, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s father during an argument on June 27. Authorities say the victim, who was found in the driveway of his home on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, died after suffering a stab wound to the neck.
The Incident
The Navajo Nation Police Department responded to the scene in Shiprock, New Mexico, shortly after 3 a.m. and found the man lying in the driveway with severe neck injuries. He was pronounced dead by first responders.
Paul’s ex-girlfriend identified him as the attacker. She told authorities that Paul had come to her home earlier that evening, but she didn’t want to speak to him. She eventually went outside to avoid conflict, despite Paul’s history of being abusive. After a brief conversation, she drove him to his mother’s house, telling him to rest.
The Stabbing
According to police reports, Paul became disturbed after returning to his mother’s house and not being able to sleep. He told officers that he was feeling a mix of emotions, including a desire to destroy something and even hurt himself. He grabbed a kitchen knife and walked back to his ex-girlfriend’s home, planning to harm himself. Instead, he shut off the power to the house to provoke a reaction from the family.
When his ex-girlfriend and her father came outside, Paul became enraged when they returned inside and locked the door. In a fit of rage, Paul allegedly kicked in the door, grabbed his ex’s arm, and was confronted by her father, who tried to pull him away. Paul then stabbed the father in the neck, causing him to collapse in the driveway.
Aftermath and Arrest
The victim managed to pull the knife from his neck before collapsing, and Paul reportedly saw him lying in the driveway, bleeding and making gurgling sounds. Paul then entered the house again, where he saw his ex-girlfriend holding a baby. Paul ran outside when he heard the ambulance arriving and fled the scene.
Paul was arrested shortly after and remains in federal custody. His next court date is yet to be scheduled, and he has been assigned a public defender.
