Fort Sumner woman wanted in connection with death

FORT SUMNER - A Fort Sumner woman remained at large Tuesday following allegations she killed her grandfather and tried to conceal his whereabouts for months.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Candy Jo Webb, 27, alleging first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of A.J. Harden, 83.

Harden, according to his obituary, grew up in Fort Sumner. Following a trucking career that took he and wife Virginia across the country, the two moved to Fort Sumner and set up a hamburger stand.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit:

• On Oct. 15, an investigator with the New Mexico State Police was contacted regarding a body discovered inside a tool chest on the 1900 block of Shenandoah Drive in Fort Sumner. The investigator discovered a body wrapped in numerous blankets and black duct tape wrapped around the mouth and a leg.

• The man who had called authorities, Chad Abeyta, said he had lived at the address for approximately five months and had noticed the toolbox in a ditch behind his backyard with other debris. He noticed the tool chest was in good condition, but did not inspect it until a relative inquired about taking it. Upon inspection, the man was met with an overwhelming foul odor.

• Another NMSP agent attended the autopsy, where the conducting doctor indicated she could not determine the gender of the remains. The doctor did note facial hair and male clothing, along with a card in a shirt pocket detailing a July doctor's appointment for A.J. Harden.

• The owner of the property, Brenda Moyer, was interviewed Oct. 19, and told police she rented the home to son Shawn Perkins and that he lived there with Webb when they dated. Moyer said the ditch area behind the property was always used for dumping large objects, but she had never seen a tool chest there. She said Harden was Webb's grandfather, and it was her understanding Harden was in a nursing home.

• Webb was also interviewed Oct. 19, and said she lived at the residence for nearly two years but had not been on the property since June. She told police she took Harden to a nursing home in Wellington, Texas, about six months ago, but would have to look up the name. Webb said she had last spoken to her grandfather over the phone in September.

• Perkins was also interviewed Oct. 19, and indicated that he moved to Artesia about a year ago and that he had ended a six-year relationship with Webb. He said he had not been to the Shenandoah Drive residence since May. When asked who A.J. Harden was, Perkins identified him as Webb's grandfather and said he would provide Webb with money. He said Harden apparently lived at a nursing home in Texas for the last few months, but that he didn't want others to know where he was located.

• On Oct. 20, an NMSP investigator spoke with a De Baca County Sheriff's lieutenant who noted that on a Sept. 3 call for service, he spoke with Arron Harden, A.J. Harden's grandson. Arron Harden indicated he was concerned because he had not recently spoken to his grandfather, and that Webb would not disclose his whereabouts. Also, Aaron Harden said, Webb had filed a no trespass order against him in August.

• Webb returned the investigator's calls, and indicated her grandfather was at a private retirement home called "Shady Oaks" in the Fort Worth area. The investigator could find no evidence of such a home, and a number for Harden provided by Webb indicated the customer had not set up the voicemail.

• On Oct. 21, an NMSP investigator contacted the state Social Security office and learned Harden's retirement address was at a lake house on Tamarack Lane in Fort Sumner and the bank account originated from a bank in Wellington.

• State police officials attempted to set up an Oct. 22 interview with Webb, who said she needed to contact her attorney first and never called or answered her phone again.

• State police traveled to Dexter, where they had learned Webb stayed with boyfriend Garrett Beene. Beene and his relatives indicated Webb said Harden died in his sleep approximately a month ago and that she contacted the Fort Sumner Fire Department to retrieve his body. Investigators found no emergency medical service record for the Tamarack Lane address.

When asked if he had helped Webb dump a body, he denied any involvement, refused to provide a DNA sample and said he wanted a lawyer present.

• Arron Harden contacted the NMSP to see if his grandfather was the subject of its investigation. He indicated he hadn't seen his grandfather since August and Webb filed the restraining order early in September. He said he owned a tool chest like one described by police, and said he left it at his grandfather's lake house some time ago. An Oct. 20 search of the Tamarack Lane residence included no reference to a tool chest.

• On Oct. 23, Beene contacted the NMSP through his attorney and indicated he had information on A.J. Harden's death. He said Webb told him her grandfather asked her to kill him, and she gave him Xanax and Ambien until his heart stopped. Garrett said he did not believe Webb, and told her she killed her grandfather because she wanted his house. He later consented to a DNA test and provided his cell phone for evidence, and continued to maintain he was not involved.

• Followup interviews with Abeyta and Moyer indicated Webb had recently hauled items to the ditch behind the Shenandoah Drive residence and had requested permission from Moyer Aug. 23 to use the ditch to dump trash.