In a quiet home on Smithland Avenue in La Junta, Colorado, a devastating scene unfolded late on the night of June 11, 2024. Responding to a call around 11:30 p.m., La Junta Police officers discovered a tragedy that would deeply affect the small community. Inside, they found 24-year-old Rhylee King and her two young children, two-year-old Xena Gabriella Martinez-King and one-year-old Xander Roy Martinez-King, along with 30-year-old Andrew Martinez Chavez, all victims of gunshot wounds.
Rhylee and her daughter, Xena, were pronounced dead at the scene. Young Xander was found alive but critically injured and was transported to a Denver-area hospital. Despite medical efforts, he later succumbed to his injuries. The investigation, led by the La Junta Police Department with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, has been described as an apparent murder-suicide.
Friends of Rhylee have identified Andrew Martinez Chavez as her ex-husband. They shared that Rhylee had recently separated from him and was beginning to find happiness again. According to these friends, she had fought hard to get away from the marriage. A neighbor recounted that Rhylee had warned him about her ex-partner, stating he was not supposed to be at the residence. The night of the tragedy, upon hearing gunshots, the neighbor immediately feared for her safety. While law enforcement has not officially named the shooter, friends and neighbors believe it was Chavez. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
