Two people were killed over $80 and drugs, investigators say (2024)

Fentanyl at the center of Aug. 28 double homicide

An argument over $80 and fentanyl reportedly led to an Aug. 28 double homicide at a home in the Harvest Gold neighborhood near Bloomfield.

Stoney Torres, 25, and Jessica Aragon, 28, were reportedly shot multiple times by Isaiah Barella Brown, 21, as he tried to collect $80 from Torres. Torres wanted to “get paid for the fentanyl he brought over,” according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.

Brown and Ravyn Burns had been staying together at a home on County Road 4909. The home was owned by Lester Browning and Amanda Green, who allowed the couple to stay there.

The day of the shooting, Brown reportedly told Browning that “his friends would be stopping by and that the friend owed Brown approximately $80 from a prior fentanyl purchase,” the affidavit states.

When Torres and Aragon arrived at the home, they went into the master bedroom with Brown, Burns and Browning. Torres then reportedly reached “into a black bag that was hanging around his body and (pulled) out a bag of suspected fentanyl pills,” the affidavit says.

Brown said he “wanted his $80,” and Torres “began to argue about wanting to get paid for the fentanyl he brought over,” the affidavit states.

Brown reportedly “pulled the gun from his waistband” and pointed it at Torres, and Browning told police that Torres pulled a gun and pointed it at Brown. Brown was described as being the “primary aggressor in the incident,” the affidavit states.

Browning reportedly told investigators that Burns and Aragon attempted to “de-escalate the situation,” but Brown fired. Browning, Burns and Green then fled the home and walked “north toward the hills.” Burns was heard saying, “He shot him,” the affidavit states.

Brown then reportedly walked out of the home and was heard saying, “I’m sorry.” He and Burns got into a silver 2016 Kia Sportage and fled the scene, the affidavit states.

Brown has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle for taking a silver 2016 Kia Sportage and fleeing the scene after the shooting, the criminal complaint says.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the double homicide about 20 minutes after it happened, as Green reportedly waited to call and report it. Burns allegedly told her “not to call the police,” while Browning said “they had no choice but to call the police,” the affidavit states.

Sheriff’s Office deputies reported finding Torres with “multiple gunshot wounds,” and Aragon was found at his feet with “multiple gunshot wounds to her body. ”Approximately 12 .40-caliber spent shell casings,” drug paraphernalia and fentanyl were found in the bedroom, the affidavit states.

Brown and Burns were located Thursday, Aug. 29, at a mobile home in Waterflow in the area of County Roads 6693, 6690 and 6694, which were closed for more than hour, but are now reopened, as the scene was cleared, according to San Juan County Spokesman Devin Neeley.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and Farmington Police Department were at the scene of the fire attempting to make an arrest when “Brown fired numerous rounds at deputies and officers,” and “two deputies and three Farmington Police officers returned fire,” according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

The mobile home caught fire and burned while Brown and Burns reportedly hid outside.

“Law enforcement provided protection to allow for fire suppression efforts on the burning home,” the news release states.

Once it was safe to go near the home, Burns was arrested on a warrant for two juvenile misdemeanor charges from 2023, according to San Juan County Detention Center records.

Brown was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center and was transferred to another location for medical treatment, according to a hospital spokesperson.

He was charged Friday with two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Aragon and Torres, 25. He also faces a charge of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle – the silver 2016 Kia Sportage belonging to Kaitlyn Dobbs, the girlfriend of Torres.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case. Additional charges including arson could be forthcoming as the mobile home was a complete loss.