Sheriff's detectives probe double murder at auto salvage business west of Farmington

FARMINGTON — San Juan County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating a double murder that occurred at an auto salvage business just west of Farmington.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene shortly before 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5 after receiving a report of two bodies being found. When they arrived at the Highway 64 Auto Salvage location, it was apparent the two victims had died as a result of homicide, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

The agency has identified the two victims as 26-year-old Anthony McCants and 31-year-old Candrick Begay, both of whom were employed by the business.

According to the release, the two men had been assigned to be out in the yard putting auto parts at 4 p.m. Employees began looking for them later when family members of the two men called, expressing concern that they hadn’t heard from them. The employees began to search the property and located the two bodies.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the detective division tip line at the Sheriff’s Office by calling 505-333-7878.

According to the release, Sheriff’s Office officials are aware that a man who was killed by Farmington police officers in a shooting at his Farmington home late on April 5 also was an employee of the Highway 64 Auto Salvage. But they consider that a coincidence.

“ … we believe that they are completely separate events with no correlation to one another,” the release states.

Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 ormeasterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e.