Patricia Balderrama, 63, a woman from Carlsbad with deep ties to the oilfield community near Loving, was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds on the morning of July 30, 2025. Deputies with the Eddy County Sheriff's Office were called just after dawn to the 100 block of South Donaldson Farms Road, at a building used by Pecos River Oilfield Services outside Loving, where they discovered Balderrama and 55-year-old Nathan Scott McGee unresponsive.
First responders could not resuscitate either victim.
Investigators publicly identified the pair in the days that followed and described the scene as a fatal shooting. Reports placed the address at the trucking and oilfield business the couple helped run, and community remembrances later noted Balderrama's long Carlsbad roots and partnership with McGee in operating Pecos River Oil Field Services. Memorial pages and funeral notices marked the loss and set services in mid-August, reflecting how quickly friends and family gathered around the two lives cut short.
Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public, and early statements indicated they were not seeking suspects at large. As of the latest updates from local outlets, no arrests had been announced in connection with the shooting, and detectives continued their work with the Office of the Medical Investigator. The case remained under active investigation while officials urged anyone with information to contact the Sheriff's Office or submit tips.
