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A barefoot woman was seen leaving a grey SUV, a voice called out “No!” and was immediately drowned out by multiple gunshots before the car drove off in the direction of Mesilla.
That much was reported by two callers to emergency dispatch Monday evening. Minutes later, at approximately 8:22 p.m., Mesilla marshals found 39-year-old Shiereen Al Jibury unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. She did not survive.
At a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, Mesilla Marshal Sgt. Tress Diaz said the SUV had been located by Doña Ana Sheriff’s deputies in Sunland Park and named a person of interest, Oscar Renee Sandoval of Chaparral, 59, who was at large.
Investigators continued to sweep the scene, with University Avenue closed to traffic at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. A search warrant targeting the car was executed as well.
“We believe currently (the shooting) is an isolated event, as both the victim and suspect are non-residents of the Las Cruces or Mesilla area,” Diaz said, reading from a prepared statement where he displayed a photograph of Sandoval, whom he described both as a “person of interest” and “suspect” during the briefing. “Oscar Renee Sandoval is considered to be armed and dangerous and should not be approached. He was last seen in Sunland Park, New Mexico on private surveillance cameras.”
Sheriff Kim Stewart, along with DASO Major Jon Day and Undersheriff Tessa Abeyta, were present for the briefing but did not speak. Mayor Russell Hernandez and Diaz said the investigation was active and ongoing, and therefore no questions would be answered.
