A man allegedly filmed himself standing on his wife’s chest as she gasped for air, then said ‘goodnight’ and walked away, sheriff says

A New Mexico man is in custody after the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office accused him of killing his wife in a case that includes a video found on his phone. Jess Patterson, 34, faces one count of first-degree murder in the death of 36-year-old Lauren Patterson, according to Law&Crime. He has not been convicted, and information below comes from the sheriff’s office and an arrest warrant affidavit.

The incident took place at the couple’s home on County Road 6335 in Kirtland, a small town about 25 miles south of the Colorado border. The sheriff’s office said it received a 911 call that evening from the couple’s 17-year-old son, who told dispatchers his mother was unconscious and not breathing. She was pronounced dead at the scene when deputies arrived.

Detectives obtained a warrant for Jess Patterson’s cellphone, as investigators had focused on the husband. The sheriff’s office said a video on the device depicted Lauren Patterson’s final moments, including Jess Patterson standing on her chest. An autopsy cited in the affidavit found blunt force trauma, numerous rib fractures and a ruptured spleen that began to bleed internally.

The affidavit describes what the video on his phone allegedly shows

According to the charging document, the video shows the man placing his entire weight on his wife’s chest while singing and taunting her as she gasped for breath. At one point, the affidavit states, he says “she’s dead” and calls his wife of 17 years a “skateboard” while continuing to sing. When she appears unconscious and unresponsive, he reportedly says “goodnight” and walks away.

Detectives also learned that the 34-year-old had been arrested six times on domestic violence charges while living in California, the sheriff’s office said. In July, he was arrested in New Mexico on a battery allegation involving his wife, and authorities said that case included a claim that he hit her in the face. The autopsy also noted a broken arm that had “naturally healed.”

The affidavit includes accounts from relatives and neighbors. The woman’s sister told police in an earlier case that Patterson “had beaten Lauren with a baton,” and her mother said she believed the defendant “moved the family to New Mexico to isolate the abuse.” Neighbors reportedly told investigators they could “hear him beating her.” However, those accounts have not been tested in court, as they are statements given to investigators.

Sheriff Shane Ferrari said in a statement that the department understands how deeply unsettling the case is for the community, and that its thoughts are with the victim’s family. The defendant is being held without bond at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center. In a separate case, police say a California man drove his wife’s body into a hospital parking lot and told people there he had killed her.

First-degree murder is the only charge named in the release as reported. However, the release does not say whether additional charges are being considered, and the defendant is presumed innocent. The sheriff’s office opened its Facebook post with a reader discretion warning, as the release includes details that some people may find disturbing. Prosecutors would still need to prove the charge in court.

The case now moves through the San Juan County court system, where prosecutors could present the video and the autopsy findings as evidence, and further details may emerge as hearings are scheduled.