Clovis police seek suspect on arson, other charges in Walmart fire

From Staff Reports
·3 min read

CLOVIS, N.M. — The Clovis Police Department is seeking a suspect in connection to the fire that significantly damaged a Walmart store last week.

After the major retailer was closed for several days due to extensive damage and the ongoing active criminal investigation, Clovis police said in a Saturday morning update on social media that enough information has been recovered to seek a warrant for the arrest of Jimmy Guillen, 59, on charges of arson, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and felon in possession of a destructive device.

The Clovis Police Department is seeking a suspect identified as Jimmy Guillen in connection to the Walmart fire, as seen in these provided photos on social media. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Guillen, 59, on charges of arson, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and felon in possession of a destructive device.
The Clovis Police Department is seeking a suspect identified as Jimmy Guillen in connection to the Walmart fire, as seen in these provided photos on social media. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Guillen, 59, on charges of arson, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and felon in possession of a destructive device.
The Clovis Police Department is seeking a suspect identified as Jimmy Guillen in connection to the Walmart fire, as seen in these provided photos on social media. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Guillen, 59, on charges of arson, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and felon in possession of a destructive device.
The Clovis Police Department is seeking a suspect identified as Jimmy Guillen in connection to the Walmart fire, as seen in these provided photos on social media. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Guillen, 59, on charges of arson, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and felon in possession of a destructive device.

Police said additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of the investigation. The whereabouts of Guillen are unknown at this time, and police are seeking assistance from the public in locating him.

As previously reported, on Sunday, Sept. 3 at about 3:36 a.m., Clovis first responders including fire, police and EMS arrived at the Walmart located at 3728 North Prince St. in reference to a structure fire. "Due to the size of the building and the aggressive nature of the fire, additional fire units from surrounding agencies were requested to assist the Clovis Fire Department," a release read at the time, and firefighters from Cannon Air Force Base, Melrose, Ranchvale, Pleasant Hill, Texico, Portales and Grady in New Mexico and Farwell and Bovina in Texas assisted with the incident. The store was closed when the blaze began. All employees were able to evacuate, and no injuries were reported.

Clovis police said that immediately after the fire was extinguished, a joint investigation began, including members from the 9th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit, the Clovis Police Department, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Clovis Fire Department.

"This has been a time-consuming process and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work through this investigation," the Saturday, Sept. 9 update notes. "Currently, we are not prepared to release any conclusions or evidence from this investigation. Any further information or items will not be available until they can be reviewed and this investigation is determined to be completed by all agencies involved."

The Clovis Police Department is asking for the public’s help with information related to this fire. Anyone who may have information related to this incident is asked to contact the Clovis Police Department at 575-769-1921 or have information provided anonymously by using the tip411 program, accessed by going to www.police.cityofclovis.org or via the Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000.

Clovis Walmart management said in a social media post that while the store is closed, they will "continue serving customers at our store on 1604 E Spruce Street in Portales, NM and on Walmart.com."

Clovis police noted that while Walmart property is secured as a crime scene, "Only authorized persons, investigators and workers associated with the cleaning and restoration of the Walmart, are allowed within the property. Unauthorized entry to this property may result in an immediate arrest for criminal trespass."

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Clovis police issue arrest warrant for Walmart fire suspect