On July 17, 2021, Clinton Dallas Holladay, a 37-year-old resident of Hobbs, New Mexico, lost his life in a tragic and violent incident. The events leading to his death were marked by a complex and volatile situation involving his relationship with a woman and her previous partner.
Clinton Holladay was shot in the head while driving a blue Dodge pickup truck in the area of Grimes Street and Cope Place in Hobbs.
The incident occurred after Holladay and his passenger, Tracy Summers, had been visiting Holladay's parents. Summers, who had recently broken up with her common-law husband, Steven Nave, and was living with Holladay, reported that Nave had been following them as they drove away from Holladay's parents' house. According to Summers, Holladay noticed Nave behind them and warned her, saying, “I think that's Steven behind us,” and later, “He's fixing to come up on your side.” As Nave drove up to the passenger side of Holladay's truck, Summers slouched down in her seat, and then she heard a loud “pop,” after which her ears started ringing and Holladay fell over on her with blood coming from his mouth.
Following the gunshot, Summers attempted to grab the wheel of the truck to bring it to a stop, but the vehicle crashed into a tree. Nave continued driving away from the scene. The Lea County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding a gunshot victim and a possible motor vehicle accident, finding Holladay with a fatal gunshot wound and Summers in the passenger seat, visibly distraught and wearing blood-stained clothes.
Steven Nave, 42, of Lovington, New Mexico, was identified as the suspect in Holladay's murder. Nave had a history of threatening messages sent to Summers, where he expressed his intent to harm Holladay. These messages included threats such as “get rid of him,” referring to Holladay, and “You took your attention off me and more so and put it on him. If I get a chance I'll do my best to get rid of him,” along with other ominous warnings.
Nave was arrested on August 12, 2021, and initially charged with first-degree murder, a capital felony, as well as tampering with evidence and receipt, transportation, or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a certain person both third-degree felonies.
In the subsequent legal proceedings, Nave pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. On May 15, 2024, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison with two years of parole by District Judge Efren Cortez in the Fifth Judicial District Court. During the sentencing, Holladay's family members expressed their grief and frustration, highlighting the devastating impact of Nave's actions on their lives and advocating for a more severe sentence.
The case underscored the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the importance of addressing such situations to prevent further harm. Holladay's death left a profound void in the lives of his family, including his two sons, who will now grow up without their father, and his broader community, who remembered him fondly as a kind and supportive individual.
