In the small community of La Junta, Colorado, a heart-wrenching story unfolded on the night of June 11, 2024, culminating in the death of one-year-old Xander Roy Martinez-King. The young male child was discovered by La Junta Police officers when they responded to a call at a residence in the 1100 block of Smithland Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Inside the home, a grim scene awaited them, with two adults and another child having already succumbed to gunshot wounds.
Xander, gravely injured, was rushed to a hospital in the Denver area. Despite medical efforts, he later passed away from his injuries. The other victims were identified as his two-year-old sister, Xena Gabriella Martinez-King, and his 24-year-old mother, Rhyle King. The second adult found deceased at the scene was 30-year-old Andrew Chavez. The Otero County Coroner's Office confirmed the identities of all four individuals.
The investigation, led by the La Junta Police Department and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, is being treated as an apparent murder-suicide. While law enforcement has not officially named the shooter, friends of Rhyle King have stated that she had recently left her marriage with Andrew Chavez and was starting to find happiness again. They believe Chavez was the perpetrator. A neighbor of King’s recounted that she had warned him about her ex-partner, and upon hearing gunshots that night, he immediately feared for her safety.
The tragic event has deeply affected the community, with friends and family mourning the loss of the young mother and her two small children. Xander’s grandmother remembered him as an innocent one-year-old who was just beginning to experience the joy of walking. In a final act of generosity, Xander’s organs were donated to help other children in need.
