NMSP: Woman accused of killing man while driving on I-25

ROMEROVILLE, N.M. — New Mexico State Police arrested a woman Monday for allegedly shooting a man and leaving him to die in a vehicle on I-25.

Investigators say Rosa Ybarra, 31, shot Tomas Lopez, 36, while they were driving on I-25. Near mile marker 341, Ybarra allegedly left the vehicle in a median there with Lopez inside.

Dispatch told State Police officers about a possible crash there around 5:34 p.m. Monday. They reported a woman ran away from the scene waving a firearm around to try and stop vehicles.

Officers arrived and found a woman with a firearm. Police told her to drop the firearm and put her in handcuffs when she did.

One of the officers noticed the woman had blood on her hands while detaining her. Then, they found a man slumped over in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to his head.

Rescue crews took the man to the hospital where doctors later pronounced him dead. They identified the man as Tomas Lopez and the woman as Rosa Ybarra.

Officers talked to Ybarra, who allegedly said someone was chasing them after she picked Lopez up in Las Vegas. Then, she heard gunshots and saw Lopez slumped over. However, she allegedly couldn’t say which direction the shots came from.

Then, she talked to officers again and reportedly gave a different story. This time, she allegedly said Lopez tried flirting with her in the car. Then, they argued and she shot him after he hit her in the mouth.

Officers arrested Ybarra and charged her with first-degree murder and felony escape from a community release program.