In the late morning of May 28, 2020, the life of Curtis Rittenhouse, a 26-year-old White/Caucasian male from Clovis, New Mexico, was tragically cut short. Police were dispatched to a residence at 609 Dawn Loop around 10:15 a.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Curtis deceased outside the home from a fatal gunshot wound.
The Clovis Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the homicide, interviewing several individuals in connection
with the incident. Their inquiries quickly pointed to a suspect: 27-year-old Steaphan Steel Shepherd. Authorities issued a warrant for Shepherd's arrest on a charge of first-degree murder and alerted the public that he was last seen driving a 2001 white Jeep Cherokee.
Law enforcement, including the Mayor's Crimes Unit, worked diligently to locate and apprehend the suspect. Their efforts proved successful with the arrest of Steaphan Steel Shepherd. He was subsequently booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center on an open count of murder, bringing a measure of resolution to the initial phase of the investigation and allowing the judicial process to begin.
Curtis, born on April 16, 1994, in Clovis, worked as a cook and was of the Baptist faith. He was a father to three daughters: Zailey Crumpton, Jessica Rittenhouse, and Ava Rittenhouse. He is also survived by his mother, Leslie Grano, his father, Donald Rittenhouse, and two brothers, Robert Rittenhouse and Dylan Gosnal.
