To'hajiillee man arrested in girlfriend's strangulation death

Olivier Uyttebrouck , Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Oct. 23—A To'hajiilee man remained in jail Monday on an open count of murder after he allegedly strangled his girlfriend, then fell asleep in a car beside the woman's body, Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies said.

Julius Irving, 29, allegedly told deputies that he strangled 23-year-old Shantel Kenneth after the two argued late Friday in a car parked in the 500 block of Atrisco Vista NW, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Deputies responded to the scene shortly after 10 p.m. Friday and found Kenneth lying partially inside and partially outside the driver's side door of a Ford Fusion parked beside the roadway. Kenneth died at the scene.

Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking to detain Irving while he awaits trial. It was unclear whether he has an attorney.

Irving initially told deputies that he and Kenneth had been drinking and smoking cannabis when he passed out in the front driver's side of the car, the complaint said. When he woke up, he found Kenneth lying on the ground outside the driver's side door, it said.

Irving later told deputies that he and Kenneth had argued inside the car and began physically fighting after Kenneth bit his finger, the complaint said.

The two ended up outside the car where Irving put Kenning "in a choke hold and then transitioned to choking her with one hand by wrapping his hand around her neck," it said.

Irving held Kenneth until she stopped moving, "then released her and she fell to the ground," the complaint said.

"Irving then got back inside the vehicle, where he fell asleep," it said.

Irving told deputies he had intended only to calm down Kenneth but "held her too long," it said.

An investigator with the Office of the Medical Investigator examined Kenneth's body at the scene and found bruises on the woman's face and neck and indications that she had been strangled, the complaint said. The investigator also found dirt on the roof of Kenneth's mouth and a small amount of dried blood on her face, it said.