On what was supposed to be a typical bike ride on June 26, 2023, Stephen Wesley Timmons, a 62-year-old White male, met a tragic and unexpected end in the scenic area of the Dragon Fly Trailhead near Arenas Valley, New Mexico. An avid cyclist, Mr. Timmons had gone out for a ride but concern grew when he did not return home. His vehicle was later found in the trailhead parking lot, prompting a search.
In the early morning hours of June 27, around 3:30 a.m., search and rescue teams made the grim discovery of his body on the trail.
Initially, the circumstances surrounding his death were not clear, but an examination by the Office of the Medical Investigator revealed a violent end; Mr. Timmons had sustained several gunshot wounds. The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau was called in to handle the case as a homicide. Investigators believe he was killed between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. while riding his turquoise bicycle. At the time of his death, he was wearing black shorts with a white stripe, a light blue shirt, and a black helmet.
The investigation into the murder of Stephen Timmons led authorities to Joseph William Costello, 29, of Fort Bayard, NM. A significant break in the case came on June 30, 2023, when a U.S. Forest Service officer witnessed Costello run a red light on a motorized bicycle, nearly causing a serious accident. The officer detained Costello and discovered he had an outstanding warrant for trespassing, leading to his arrest. During the arrest, a handgun was found in Costello's possession. Further investigation uncovered that several people had reported encounters with Costello in the Dragon Fly Trail area over the past year, with allegations of him threatening and shooting at or near them.
The handgun found on Costello at the time of his arrest proved to be the key piece of evidence. On July 7, 2023, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the casings found at the homicide scene and the projectiles recovered during the autopsy were fired from the handgun Costello was carrying. Following this crucial forensic match, Joseph William Costello was charged with an open count of murder in the death of Stephen Timmons and remains incarcerated at the Grant County Detention Center.
