Shooting victim clings to life as details unfold
DEMING – Deming police have notified family and released the name of Monday’s shooting victim. Christopher Richards, 26, is on life support in an El Paso hospital with a gunshot wound to the head and two injuries to his right arm following a daylight shooting at the Deming Manor Apartments, 1000 S. Zinc Street.
Richards was found bleeding from his head on the grounds of the complex by Deming Police when they arrived on the scene shortly before 1 p.m. Richards was loaded into a Deming Fire Department ambulance and transported by EMTs to Mimbres Memorial Hospital.
Witnesses told police they heard gunshots and saw a grey Ford F-150 extended cab pickup truck leave the scene at a high rate of speed and travel west on Buckeye Street, running a stop sign along the way.
A BOLO (Be on the Lookout) was sent out with a description of the vehicle.
Deming Police Detective Gerardo Rico began processing the scene and discovered two .45 caliber shell casings, according to a Luna County Magistrate Court document obtained by the Deming Headlight. He followed up with the victim at Mimbres Memorial Hospital but found Richards to be unresponsive and unavailable for questioning. He was stabilized and airlifted to an El Paso area hospital for further treatment.
While at the hospital, Rico heard a call come that the vehicle had been spotted and stopped by a Luna County Sheriff’s Office Deputy at the Deming Walmart parking lot. The vehicle was registered to the driver John Umlauf, 31, of Deming. Umlauf was detained at that point and the vehicle sealed for a search warrant.
The time of the shooting and apprehension of Umlauf occurred within less than a 30-minute time span, according to Deming Police Chief Clint Hogan.
Rico returned to the crime scene and interviewed more witnesses, according to the court report. It was later determined that Umlauf allegedly drove up to the complex where Richards was smoking a cigarette outdoors. Umlauf allegedly yelled an expletive toward Richards and pointed a gun at him. According to witness accounts, Umlauf began shooting and Richards and another man fled.
Rico acquired video surveillance footage from neighboring Deming High School which confirmed Umlauf’s pickup was at the scene. The vehicle pulled into the Deming Manor parking lot and two men standing under a tree began to flee. One of the men identified as Richards, collapsed.
The grey vehicle is seen on video exiting the parking lot onto South Zinc Street and turned right in a west direction onto Buckeye Street.
Rico showed up at the Deming Police Station to photograph Umlauf’s vehicle. During that time, a third .45 shell casing was discovered under the vent and next to the truck’s hood. The .45 shell casing is similar to the two found at the crime scene.
Detectives attempted to interview Umlauf who invoked his Miranda rights, citing the Fifth Amendment. At that point, the interview process ceased.
Based on the Deming police findings, including a witness statement, video surveillance footage, and evidence found on the vehicle, Umlauf was arrested and charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony, Shooting at/or from a Motor Vehicle, and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Chief Hogan said the investigation is continuing and no knew suspects or persons of interest have come to light. Richards was reported to be o life support on Tuesday. No new developments have been reported as of Thursday morning.
Bill Armendariz can be reached at 575-494-5059 or biarmendariz@demingheadlight.
This article originally appeared on Deming Headlight: Shooting victim clings to life as details unfold
