Police identify man shot, killed Saturday
May 26—Santa Fe resident James Dukette, 54, died of injuries sustained during a shooting Saturday on the south side of town, police announced in a news release.
Zachary Dukette, 34, was arrested on the scene and charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering. Court documents state James and Zachary Dukette were father and son, respectively.
Santa Fe police responded around 3 p.m. Saturday to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Morning Drive and Agua Fría Street, a residential area on the south side of town.
Deputy Chief Ben Valdez said in a news release James Dukette was shot at least once and transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The case remains under active investigation, Valdez added.
Court documents show a history of animosity between Zachary Dukette and his father.
In September, Zachary Dukette was charged with assaulting a household member, a petty misdemeanor, after he was accused of swinging at his father during an argument. In court documents, the younger Dukette denied pushing, shoving or hitting the elder.
Following the incident, both Dukettes filed for protective orders against each other. The petitions made reference to Zachary Dukette's access to a firearm and history of mental illness.
Both petitions for protective orders were dismissed following the parties' failures to appear in court. Prosecutors also dismissed the criminal case in November because of lack of cooperation from the victim.
