Man charged in Bovina death

BOVINA — Texas Rangers on Monday charged a man with murder for the death of a woman in Bovina.

Erica Sanchez, 31, of Bovina, “was killed Monday morning in the city,” according to a news release that night from the Texas Dept. of Public Safety.

Michael Orozco, 39, of Muleshoe, “has been charged with murder and is currently in police custody,” said the release from Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the DPS’ Amarillo office.

Sanchez is the mother of three children and moved into her residence on the 300 block of Bovina’s Ave. K in the past month.

“She was a sweet girl,” Bovina Housing Authority manager Sharron Quigg told The News.

Neighbors told The News on Monday afternoon that police were on scene by 10 a.m. that morning. Parmer County Sheriff Randy Geries referred questions to Bovina Police Chief Joe Orozco, who said Texas Rangers had taken lead in the investigation.

Rangers from Amarillo and Lubbock, as well as local law enforcement, worked on scene through Monday evening with the entrance to Sanchez’ apartment unit blocked off with police caution tape.

“It’s kind of scary because generally Bovina is pretty quiet,” Curtis Drager told The News on Monday afternoon near the scene of the incident.

“I hate it because she was a young woman,” his wife Shirley Drager told The News of Sanchez. “She probably had a lot more time to live.”

Marco Sanchez told The News on Monday that family and loved ones of his sister were still processing the recent events. A memorial fundraiser for Erica Sanchez had raised over $1,300 in four hours Monday night.

Barkley said the investigation is ongoing and “all other investigative findings will be turned over to the Parmer County District Attorney’s Office.”