Crime
17-year-old Taylor Ratterree shot and killed while trying to jump out of moving car in Dickson County
A 17-year-old girl was fatally shot Tuesday night in Dickson County, Tennessee, after attempting to escape from a vehicle driven by her former boyfriend, according to law enforcement authorities.
The victim, identified as Taylor Ratterree, had just completed her work shift around 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16.
Taylor had recently ended her relationship with Hunter Jackson, 18, though the circumstances that led to the two being together later that evening remain under investigation.
Authorities say Jackson picked Taylor up from the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store in Dickson. While details of what transpired inside the vehicle have not been fully released, investigators believe a confrontation occurred during the drive.
As the vehicle approached a traffic signal on Henslee Drive, Taylor reportedly feared for her safety and attempted to exit the moving car from the passenger side.
During that attempt, police say Jackson fired a gun, striking her. Jackson then fled the scene, leaving Taylor critically injured on the roadway.
Officers with the Dickson Police Department were initially dispatched following reports of a reckless driver.
Upon arrival, they discovered Taylor lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. She was transported to Skyline Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.
Following an overnight search, law enforcement located Jackson at a residence in White Bluff, Tennessee, at approximately 1:00 a.m. Wednesday. He was taken into custody without incident.
Hunter Jackson has been charged with first-degree homicide and was booked into the Dickson County Jail. He is currently being held on a $3 million bond, according to jail records.
Family members and friends described Taylor as a kind, vibrant young woman with a bright future ahead of her.
She was known for her creativity and loved crocheting, often selling handmade bumblebee creations at her workplace.
Those close to her said she was enthusiastic about beginning college and had ambitious plans for her life.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities have not released additional details regarding the motive or the events leading up to the shooting.
The Dickson community has expressed an outpouring of grief and support for Taylor’s family as they mourn the loss of a young life taken far too soon.
Crime
New Mexico Teen Darren Munoz Charged With Orchestrating Parents’ Murders in Alleged Financial Plot
A 19-year-old New Mexico man is facing multiple murder-related charges after authorities allege he arranged the killings of his father and stepmother as part of a plan to gain control of their finances and property.
Darren Munoz, 19, is accused of recruiting a friend, 18-year-old Julio Zamora, to carry out the fatal shootings of Oscar Munoz, 58, and Dina Munoz, 71, inside the family’s home in Clovis, New Mexico—located more than 200 miles east of Albuquerque.
Both suspects were taken into custody on Monday, December 15.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators believe the killings were premeditated and planned over the course of weeks or months. Authorities allege Munoz intended to seize his parents’ assets and financial holdings and believed his father owned an Allsups convenience store franchise, a chain operating hundreds of locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Prosecutors allege the plan called for Zamora to enter the residence through the garage during the early morning hours and shoot both victims while they slept.
Investigators also identified a second individual as a potential backup should Zamora fail to carry out the plan.
Police were dispatched to the Clovis residence at approximately 4:50 a.m. on December 15 after receiving a report of a possible burglary.
Upon arrival, officers found Munoz standing near the open garage.
According to police, Munoz told officers there was no emergency and attempted to dissuade them from entering the home, stating his parents were asleep.
Officers were eventually permitted inside the residence.
Investigators state that Munoz later emerged from a bedroom with blood on his hands.
Both Oscar and Dina Munoz had sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Dina Munoz was pronounced dead at the scene, while Oscar Munoz was transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where he later died from his injuries.
Munoz reportedly told investigators he was awakened by the sound of the garage door alarm but claimed he did not hear any gunshots.
Authorities noted that this account appeared inconsistent with the home’s layout.
Investigators also reported there were no signs of forced entry and no evidence that property had been stolen.
Additional evidence surfaced during the investigation, including statements from Munoz’s girlfriend, who told police he had previously discussed trading an AR-style rifle for another firearm.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Munoz carrying a 9mm Glock handgun several hours before the killings. Investigators also confirmed that Munoz, Zamora, and others had recently purchased 9mm ammunition together.
Zamora was later arrested outside his residence, where authorities recovered a 9mm Glock handgun believed to have been used in the murders.
Investigators allege Zamora admitted that Munoz asked him to kill his parents.
Darren Munoz is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
Julio Zamora faces two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Both defendants have entered not guilty pleas as the case proceeds through the court system.