Inset: Jess Patterson (San Juan County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The rural area near where Patterson allegedly killed his wife in Kirtland, N.M. (Google Maps).
A New Mexico man is now in custody after allegedly murdering his wife and capturing the deadly act, according to state law enforcement.
Thirty‑four‑year‑old Jess Patterson faces a first‑degree murder charge for the death of 36‑year‑old Lauren Patterson, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office reports.
The incident unfolded on Oct. 4 at the Patterson home on County Road 6335 in Kirtland, a small community about 25 miles south of the Colorado border.
On Sunday evening, deputies fielded a 911 call from the victim’s 17‑year‑old son, who reported his mother was unconscious and not breathing. Arriving on scene, officers pronounced her dead.
An autopsy report, cited in an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Tri City Record, listed blunt‑force trauma as the cause of death, noting numerous rib fractures and a ruptured spleen that bled internally.
Detectives learned that Patterson had six prior domestic‑violence arrests in California, and in July he faced a New Mexico arrest for allegedly battering his wife.
Police zeroed in on Patterson, secured a warrant to search his cellphone, and found a video showing Ms. Patterson’s final moments, with Mr. Patterson standing on her chest, the sheriff’s office reported.
The affidavit provides further details about the footage.
The charging document describes the video as showing the man placing his full weight on the victim’s chest, then singing and taunting her as she struggled to breathe.
At one moment, Patterson allegedly declares, “she’s dead,” and calls his 17‑year‑married wife a “skateboard” while continuing to sing.
When the woman appears unconscious and unresponsive, the man reportedly says “goodnight” and walks away, the affidavit notes.
Authorities and family members see the woman’s tragic death as the culmination of a long history of abuse.
The prior New Mexico domestic‑violence arrest involved allegations that Patterson struck his wife in the face, officials say.
The autopsy also revealed a previously broken arm that had naturally healed, law enforcement noted.
In an earlier case, the woman’s sister told police that Patterson “had beaten Lauren with a baton,” the charging document records.
The mother told detectives she believed the defendant moved the family to New Mexico to isolate the abuse, while neighbors reported hearing him beat her.
“We understand how deeply unsettling this is for our community,” San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari said. “Our hearts go out to Ms. Patterson’s family at this terrible time.”
The defendant remains detained at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center without bond.
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