Kelly Heath, a 46-year-old Hispanic woman from Aztec, New Mexico, was a loving mother to three children and a self-admitted "much better grandmother" to her three grandchildren. According to her family, she lived a storied life that was tragically cut short in a violent rampage on October 21, 2024.
The events began in the early morning hours in Farmington. At approximately 3:52 a.m., sheriff's deputies encountered Andrew Whittenberg, 35, after he allegedly attempted to break into a home.
Though he appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and was armed with a knife, officers drove him to a local mall instead of arresting him. Around 5:12 a.m., Whittenberg broke into a different home on Kayenta Drive, where the residents barricaded themselves in a room. He stole an AR-15 style rifle and fled on foot.
Whittenberg then made his way to a residence on English Road, where he shot and killed Kelly Heath, his former girlfriend. Her body was found in the yard. From there, Whittenberg proceeded to a business on Herrera Road. After an employee denied his request for a ride and locked themselves inside, Whittenberg opened fire on 25-year-old Brent Francis, another employee who had just arrived for work and was sitting in his vehicle. Francis was fatally shot. Whittenberg discarded the rifle and was taken into custody by law enforcement a short time later on East Main Street.
Investigators determined the shooting of Heath was related to domestic violence. Whittenberg, who had a lengthy criminal history and had been released from custody less than a month prior, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, larceny of a firearm, and tampering with evidence.
Andrew Whittenberg was tried before a jury. During the trial, witnesses testified that he was paranoid and high on methamphetamine during the crime spree. The jury found him guilty of all charges, which included two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, larceny of a firearm, tampering with evidence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Following the conviction, Eleventh Judicial District Judge Curtis Gurley sentenced Whittenberg to two consecutive life sentences, each with a 30-year minimum, plus an additional 16.5 years. His total sentence amounts to 76.5 years in prison. "While this will not bring Kelly and Brent back, it does provide their families with a measure of justice," said Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe. With the conviction and sentencing, the case is closed.
