CLOVIS, NM — A New Mexico man shot and killed his on-and-off girlfriend after discovering she was collecting evidence of his past crimes to turn over to police, according to authorities who arrested him following a high-speed chase across state lines.
Vincent Galvan, 38, faces charges including first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and felon in possession of a firearm in the death of Ricki L. White, 38. The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office said White’s decomposing body was found May 12 inside an SUV parked on abandoned property on South Roosevelt Road 6, just miles from the Texas border. Investigators believe Galvan killed White because she had been compiling documentation of his criminal history to provide to law enforcement, creating a deadly confrontation that ended the woman’s efforts to seek justice.
White was last seen alive on May 4 around 7:30 p.m., according to law enforcement. Investigators determined she was shot and killed sometime between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on May 5. A cellphone that Mercedes Salazar had loaned to Galvan was tracked to the crime scene during that timeframe, police said. Salazar, initially listed as a person of interest, told authorities she had given her phone to Galvan the night before White’s death. When deputies searched the SUV containing White’s body, they discovered what investigators described as “a folder with discovery proving prior crimes,” confirming that White had been gathering evidence against Galvan. Court records show the couple had multiple domestic disputes reported to police, including one incident where both White and Galvan pointed guns at each other.
Galvan’s capture came through an unrelated crime that unfolded May 14 in Clovis, New Mexico. A business owner received a call from an employee who reported their pickup truck had been stolen, according to The Eastern New Mexico News. The business owner posted about the theft on social media and began driving around town searching for the vehicle. When he spotted the stolen truck on Mabry Drive and began following it, the driver fired multiple shots at him before fleeing toward Texas. The business owner lost sight of the truck but alerted police in both Clovis and Farwell, Texas. Farwell police found the abandoned truck at a local restaurant, and Police Chief Larry Kelsay connected the incident to the ongoing homicide investigation when he recalled that White sometimes stayed in Farwell with a friend. Kelsay determined Galvan was with that friend and convinced the man to return to Texas, where police initiated a traffic stop.
During the traffic stop, White’s friend cooperated with police and exited his truck as requested, but Galvan allegedly jumped into the driver’s seat and sped away, triggering a brief but dramatic chase through Farwell. The pursuit lasted roughly one minute before Galvan crashed the truck and attempted to flee on foot, according to law enforcement. Officers quickly apprehended him and later connected him to the earlier pickup truck theft through surveillance footage. Inside the friend’s truck, police recovered a 9mm pistol that appeared to have dried blood on the frame, according to court documents. The gun’s caliber matched a bullet recovered from White’s body during the autopsy, investigators said. The weapon provided crucial physical evidence linking Galvan to the shooting, along with the cellphone data placing him at the crime scene during the estimated time of death.
The investigation revealed that Galvan had confessed his crime to multiple people before his arrest. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Galvan told friends he killed White because she “had been threatening him,” referring to her efforts to compile evidence against him. The confession provided investigators with additional witness testimony about Galvan’s motive and state of mind following the murder. Roosevelt County authorities noted that several domestic disputes between the couple had occurred over time, with some reported to police and others kept private. The pattern of violence between Galvan and White created a dangerous situation that escalated when White began documenting evidence of Galvan’s criminal behavior. Investigators said White’s efforts to hold Galvan accountable through the legal system ultimately led to her death, as he chose violence over facing potential prosecution.
In a jailhouse phone call to his mother after his arrest, Galvan made statements that further incriminated him in White’s murder. He told his mother he knew a friend was setting him up to be caught by police, according to the affidavit obtained by authorities. Galvan also revealed his conflicted feelings about evading capture, telling his mother he had considered getting out of his friend’s vehicle before police began pursuing them. “A part of me felt I needed to be caught for this stuff,” Galvan allegedly told his mother during the recorded conversation. The statement suggested Galvan understood the gravity of his actions and felt some level of guilt or acceptance about facing consequences. Chief Larry Kelsay and Roosevelt County investigators worked together to piece together the timeline and evidence that connected multiple crimes across state lines.
Galvan remains detained in the Farwell, Texas jail and will be extradited to New Mexico after Texas authorities complete their case against him for the vehicle thefts and assault charges. The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating the murder case, working to build a comprehensive prosecution file for the district attorney’s office. Court records show this case represents a tragic example of domestic violence escalating to murder when a victim attempted to seek justice through legal channels. White’s efforts to document Galvan’s criminal history and provide evidence to law enforcement ultimately cost her life, but the evidence she gathered may still play a role in ensuring accountability for her death.
