A 32-year-old man was taken into custody on Thursday evening after allegedly confessing to authorities that he had fatally shot a woman following a prolonged argument.
Fabian Hernandez faces serious charges including first-degree murder, felony possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia.
A Rexburg police officer responded to a residence on Lilac Street after receiving a report of a homicide at approximately 11:15 p.m., according to court documents.
Upon reaching the residence, an officer allegedly discovered the lifeless body of a woman, later identified as Ariana Ramos Chavez, situated at the bottom of the front steps. According to court documents, she sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.
Police have reported that Ramos Chavez resided at the residence with her domestic partner, Hernandez.
According to a lieutenant from the Rexburg Police Department, one of Ramos Chavez’s children claimed to have seen Hernandez holding a gun while standing next to Ramos Chavez’s body upon their arrival home.
According to court documents, the child questioned Hernandez about his actions towards their mother, prompting him to express remorse and drop the gun near Ramos Chavez’s body.
Upon the arrival of officers, the firearm remained in close proximity to the deceased individual.
Upon the officers’ initial arrival at the residence, Hernandez immediately assumed a prone position on the ground and confidently declared, “I’m the one you’re looking for; I’m the suspect.”
Hernandez later claimed to authorities that he lost consciousness and denied any involvement in the shooting of Ramos Chavez.
According to the individual, the video camera on the front door of the residence would have recorded the incident in question. According to reports, he willingly permitted officers to search his phone for the video.
Based on police reports, Hernandez informed officers that he and Ramos Chavez had engaged in a heated argument via text messages between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. that night, discussing matters related to “infidelity and drug use.”
Ramos Chavez has allegedly confronted Hernandez about the presence of methamphetamine in their bedroom, demanding that he leave immediately. Hernandez admitted to authorities that he allocated a significant amount of money each week towards the purchase of methamphetamines.
Later, he informed the authorities that he had purchased the firearm, which was used to shoot Ramos Chavez, for $300 through a Facebook group.
Hernandez informed the officers that all the residents of the house were aware of the gun’s whereabouts and that it was consistently kept loaded. Afterward, he mentioned that he dialed 911 to inform authorities about the incident involving Ramos Chavez.
According to authorities, Hernandez seemed to be affected by substances, prompting them to request consent for a blood draw. Hernandez requested legal representation prior to agreeing to the blood draw.
According to court records, one of Ramos Chavez’s children provided a statement to a detective. They mentioned overhearing an argument between Hernandez and Ramos Chavez, with Hernandez making threats to shoot her. The child then witnessed Hernandez retrieving a gun and proceeding to shoot Ramos Chavez three times.
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Hernandez was subsequently apprehended and placed under arrest before being processed into the Madison County Jail. Police reports indicate that a glass pipe containing residue was discovered in Hernandez’s possession during the booking process at the jail.
He was taken into custody with a bond set at $1 million, and he appeared in court for the first time on Friday afternoon. A no-contact order has been issued for the children residing at the residence where the reported murder took place.
Hernandez is scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing on September 4th. If found guilty, he may be sentenced to life imprisonment or even face capital punishment.
While Hernandez faces charges for these crimes, it’s important to remember that being charged does not automatically imply guilt. It is a fundamental principle of our justice system that individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty.
