In the late spring of 2016, the life of Edward Pyeatt, a 61-year-old male, was brought to an abrupt and violent end in Roswell, New Mexico. On the evening of May 23rd, the Roswell Police Department was called to the scene of a shooting. Upon their arrival, officers discovered that Pyeatt had sustained a gunshot wound. Emergency services were dispatched, and he was quickly transported to a nearby hospital in an effort to save his life.
Despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the
damage inflicted by the firearm was too severe. Pyeatt ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead, turning a chaotic evening into a homicide investigation. The initial hours of the investigation were critical as police worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting and to identify the person responsible for pulling the trigger.
It did not take long for investigators to focus on a person of interest, and soon after, an arrest was made in connection with the death of Edward Pyeatt. The suspect taken into custody was identified as Branden Berg. The arrest was particularly tragic as it was revealed that Berg was Pyeatt's nephew, adding a painful layer of familial strife to the violent incident. In the days that followed, the Roswell Police Department publicly identified both Pyeatt as the victim and Berg as the suspect in the fatal shooting. Berg was subsequently charged with an open count of murder as the community grappled with the news of this family tragedy.
