Police: Father-in-law fatally shoots man after domestic incident, arson in Peñasco

Jan. 17—A man was fatally shot earlier this month in Peñasco by his father-in-law after he tried to set a fire at the home of his wife’s parents, New Mexico State Police say.

Taos County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 13 to the residence on N.M. 75 in Peñasco in response to reports of arson and domestic violence that “resulted in a shooting,” state police wrote in a statement Friday morning.

Police identified the man shot and killed as 32-year-old Jeremy Garcia and said no charges have been filed in his death.

A man and woman told dispatchers Garcia, their daughter’s husband, had been trying to set their home on fire with the three family members inside, police wrote.

When officers arrived at the scene, the statement says, witnesses told them Garcia and his wife had “gotten into a physical altercation, with Garcia holding his wife down on her knees by her hair.”

“Garcia’s wife was able to get free and close the door, locking Garcia out of the house,” police wrote. “A short time later, flames were observed on the porch of the residence. The wife’s father confronted Garcia through a window of the residence while the fire was still active, and fired at least one round from a firearm, striking Garcia.”

Police wrote Garcia’s father-in-law extinguished the flames, and Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene by the state Office of the Medical Investigator.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the incident, according to the statement.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more details.