Affidavit alleges abuse

A Portales homicide victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple burns and severe bruising during a series of altercations with his accused killer, according to an arrest affidavit filed in district court on Tuesday.

Police said William Vaughn, 45, died of blunt force trauma on Sunday in a Lubbock hospital.

David Michael Smith, 40, of Portales is charged with an open count of murder in the case.

Records show Smith told his fiancé, Rebecca Flock, to call 911 after Vaughn “fell” and began gasping for breath in the couple’s home in the 1600 block of South Avenue C.

Vaughn was taken to Roosevelt General Hospital about 7 p.m. Saturday, then transported to University Medical Center in Lubbock. He died about 5 p.m. Sunday, police said.

The Lubbock hospital’s house supervisor told police Vaughn was never stable enough to be tested for brain activity. “In her 25 years of service as a nurse, she had only seen injuries of this nature once, and those injuries were equated to a torture case,” she told police.

The arrest affidavit shows Vaughn went to Smith’s house to watch wrestling, as he did regularly.

Flock told police that “yelling ensued” and she heard Smith accuse Vaughn of being a pedophile.

Vaughn’s name is not among registered sex offenders on the New Mexico Department of Public Safety website.

Flock said the men fought in the garage on the property but she did not see the fight. “On four separate occasions, Flock called out Smith in an effort to make the fighting stop,” the affidavit reads.

The affidavit refers to a “24 hour imprisonment.”

Portales police declined to provide additional information.

Police did not announce the homicide until Tuesday and did not release the victim’s name until Wednesday, saying they were unable to notify some family members.

Smith is being held at Roosevelt County Detention Center on a $200,000 bond.