On July 30, 2021, 52-year-old Julie Harris was tragically killed in her Aztec, New Mexico, home. The assailant fired multiple shots through her front door, fatally wounding her while her 15-year-old daughter was present but unharmed.
Investigations led to the arrest of 21-year-old Jaden Ortega, who was charged with Harris's murder. Ortega, a friend of Harris's son, was aware of a safe containing firearms in the Harris residence, suggesting a possible motive involving robbery.
Authorities connected Ortega to the crime through cell phone records, surveillance footage, and his social media activity. Additionally, ballistic analysis revealed that shell casings from the Harris crime scene matched those from a drive-by shooting near Farmington on July 20, 2021, in which Ortega was also a suspect.
Ortega remains in custody in San Juan County, facing charges including an open count of murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. The evidence against him includes witness testimonies and forensic links between the two shooting incidents. As the legal process continues, the community awaits further developments in the pursuit of justice for Julie Harris.
