By Roger Lanse
John Shivner, 45, of Silver City, was charged with aggravated burglary, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon regarding a Dec. 26, 2017 incident at 1000 Slag Road, about one-half mile southeast of the Veterans Memorial Highway 90 Bridge.
According to a Silver City Police Department news release, officers determined that Eric Arzate 48, and John Shivner, 45, both of Silver City, entered the residence, a camper owned by one of the victims, armed with handguns with the intention to commit a robbery. Both were dressed in camouflage and Arzate was wearing a vest displaying a badge and markings of a police officer and a helmet with “police” written on its front. The release stated: during the commission of the robbery, Arzate was shot and killed.
Shivner was shot in the right neck and shoulder and was reported to have fled to a nearby ditch area with a shotgun. He was located quickly and airlifted to an El Paso hospital. The shotgun was not immediately found.
SCPD officers said the 12 gauge shotgun Shivner was fleeing with was discovered later and that he apparently wrested it away from one of the home’s defenders. This shotgun, according to the SCPD, was used to deliver a fatal wound to the head of Arzate.
According to SCPD, Shivner has since been released from the hospital and at a Jan. 9, 2018 hearing, in front of Judge J.C. Robinson in district court, he was remanded to jail under a $200,000 cash only bond.
At the scene, a .40 caliber pistol was taken by police from one of the home’s defenders and placed into evidence. The pistol was loaded and had been fired, the SCPD said. Officers also said that the same person didn’t shoot both suspects and that the two victims and the two suspects knew each other.
Drugs or alcohol are not known to be involved, but await an autopsy by the Office of the Medical Investigator.
The SCPD asks anyone who has information on this incident to please call Central Dispatch at 388-8840 or the SCPD at 538-3723.