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Grace Jennings murder: New Mexico woman, 21, stabbed to death with 3ft sword by ex-BF and his GF

Kiara McCulley claimed that she couldn't recall killing Grace Jennings because she had an undetected multiple personality disorder
UPDATED NOV 3, 2022
Isaac Apodaca (C) and his new girlfriend Kiara McCulley, 19, (R) charged with first-degree murder in connection with Grace Jennings (L) tragic death (GoFundMe, SFPD)
Isaac Apodaca (C) and his new girlfriend Kiara McCulley, 19, (R) charged with first-degree murder in connection with Grace Jennings (L) tragic death (GoFundMe, SFPD)

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: New Mexico police are looking into the death of a woman who was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend using a three-foot sword. Grace Jennings, 21, died after being stabbed in the garage where the couple lived, according to police.

Kiara McCulley, 19, and her boyfriend, Isaac Apodaca, were accused of first-degree murder in connection with the killing, Daily Mail reported. According to a criminal complaint that Santa Fe New Mexican obtained, police were called by Apodaca's mother on Saturday, October 29, at about 2 pm to the scene in the 5000 block of Jaguar Drive where McCulley was allegedly killing a woman in the garage. A "bloody sword" and Jennings' body were discovered together in the garage. Her body suffered "several injuries consistent with being cut or stabbed with a sharp object" and "injuries consistent with attempts to decapitate." 

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Speaking to Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe Police Capt. Aaron Ortiz said, "We did collect a sword, and it is a metal sword. I can't give detailed information as far as where it came from; that's still under investigation." The report says that police spotted McCulley in the backyard who fled the scene but was later arrested along with Apodaca who had also contacted the police to report the murder.

Daily Mail reported that the night before Jennings' body was found, she asked her old boyfriend Apodaca if she could sleep over in the garage he and his new girlfriend share at McCulley's mother's house. Apodaca claims that Jennings and McCulley shared a bed and his new GF instructed Jennings and Apodaca to leave the following morning. Apodaca alleged that when he returned from the restroom in the main home after leaving the garage for two minutes, Jennings was already dead. 

McCulley allegedly told him, "I did it." Apodaca asserted that after notifying his mother, he quickly ran to dial 911. Later, McCulley admitted to authorities that because she had an undetected multiple personality disorder, she couldn't recall killing Jennings. "McCulley stated she was partially hopeful Jennings was dead but could not remember what happened to her," Daily Mail cited her complaint statement, Later, it was revealed that Jennings had been romantically engaged with both McCulley and Apodaca at the same time. 

Apodaca didn't tell authorities he was allegedly involved; instead, he told detectives that McCulley had been plotting to kill his ex-girlfriend for years. However, a look at his cell phone on Saturday revealed the truth, as reported by a local media outlet. Police found text exchanges between Apodaca and McCulley planning to murder the 21-year-old while she slept. The complaint reads, "The messages... described how Mr. Apodaca and [McCulley] would "clean up the mess" by using hydrogen peroxide and an ice washer to get it out."

Police reported that McCulley claimed Apodaca promised her that if she killed his ex-girlfriend, she would advance in the covert group she is a part of called Ghost that hunts for sex crime participants. She confessed to daydreaming about killing Jennings.

The family of Jennings expressed their shock at her death and claimed that the "community suffered an indescribable loss." Family member Kacey Jennings described Jennings as "the definition of beauty." She took to Facebook and shared her thoughts and wrote, "Grace is the definition of beauty. Grace is something we don’t deserve, but that’s given to us so freely. Grace is so loved. This weekend our niece, Grace, was taken from all who knew and loved her. Would you please keep our family in your prayers. Especially my husband, his sisters, our other nieces and nephew, her meemaw and peepaw, and her Uncle Danny." A GoFundMe has been created to pay for funeral costs and support the mother of the 21-year-old through this unimaginably tough time.



 

The Santa Fe District Attorney's office on Tuesday, November 2, submitted a petition seeking McCulley and Apodaca's pretrial detention. A hearing date is yet to be announced.

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