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Media Release
Contact Person: Kyle Lincoln, Detective Sergeant
Ref: San Juan County Sheriff’s Detectives charge Steve Barela, a 56 year-old Bloomfield man, with Murder in the 1st degree (open charge) and Resisting, evading or obstructing an officer (refusing to bring vehicle to a stop).
Date: December 19, 2014
San Juan County, NM - On December 18, 2014, the San Juan Communications Authority received a 911 phone call at approximately 2224 hours. A male advised the call taker that he just killed his wife. The male continued by advising that he stabbed her after she drove him to the edge. The male was identified as Steve Barela. Deputies responded to #34 CR5413 were Steve resided. Deputies arrived and found a female later identified as Evelyn Barela, with multiple lacerations to her body and she was unresponsive. Medics that arrived on scene advised the female was deceased.
Steve alerted a clerk at a local gas station south of Bloomfield, NM that he had killed his wife. The clerk advised San Juan Communications Authority of the vehicle description and direction of travel which assisted deputies in locating Steve. When Deputies and State Police attempted to stop Steve he led them on a short pursuit through remote dirt roads east of the 141 mile marker on Highway 550. Steve was taken into custody with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office helicopter.
Steve is being held at San Juan County Adult Detention Center on $500,000.00 cash bond.