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One dead, one in critical condition in Lincoln County shooting

Names withheld by sheriff's office

  • Incident occurred late Wednesday
Lincoln County Sheriff Robert Shepperd gave a few details about the incident, but withheld names.

One person is dead and another is listed in critical condition after a shooting incident late Wednesday in the Rio Rancho area north of Ruidoso in Lincoln County.

Sheriff Robert Shepperd said a woman, believed to be 73, called 911 about 8 p.m. Wednesday and hung up.

"A few minutes later, the man called 911 saying that he killed his wife and he was going to kill himself," Shepperd said Friday. "Before we could get there, he hung up and when officers arrived on scene, he was deceased.

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"She was still alive and was airlifted to a hospital in El Paso (Texas), where she was listed in critical condition last I heard."

A quiet scene near Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates north of Ruidoso.

The man, who was 69, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A gun was involved, Shepperd said.

Names are not being released.

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 "The investigation still is underway on other things they are trying to tie up before we can release any names," Shepperd said.

Reporter Dianne Stallings can be contacted at dstallings@ruidosonews.com.