Arrest affidavit reveals details of Corrales murder; suspect remains at large

The search for Charles Kaufmann, 55, of Corrales, continues after a woman was found dead Monday, Jan. 22.

According to the affidavit for arrest warrant filed in the Sandoval County Magistrate Court in Bernalillo, officers responded to a report of a possible shooting in which a woman was hit in the 500 block of Los Arboles Road at 5:15 p.m. Two men directed them to the backyard, where they found Elizabeth Barela laying on her back with a gunshot wound to her upper torso. She had no pulse, and EMS declared she was beyond lifesaving measures.

Seven brass bullet casings were found in the porch area about 10 yards from Barela’s body.

Officers then heard a man’s voice coming from the house through the open back door, which was about 10 feet away, and did a sweep of the house. They found the owner of the property, an elderly male who said that there was a man in the room next to his. Officers called several times for the man to come out, but there was no response. They then entered the room and found several firearms, gun magazines and drug paraphernalia. However, no one was in the room.

According to the elderly man, “Chuck” Kauffmann was living with him. He said Barela started banging on the window and Kauffmann went outside to confront her. Kauffmann then came back inside and said, “I don’t like any woman who talks to me like that, so I shot her.” He then grabbed his dog and left in a black Kia Rio belonging to the property owner.

He went on to say that Kauffmann was upset with Barela because she always has the car. Though he thought Kauffmann wanted to drive it as well, he had never given him permission to drive the car and reported it stolen.

The property owner’s son told police he called his father to check on him when he heard gunshots. His father told him, “Chuck is going crazy and shot Liz.”

Another witness said he came to the house with Barela to pick Kauffmann up. He stayed in the car while she went in the back entrance. A short time later, Kauffmann got into the driver’s seat and ordered him out of the car. Kauffmann then loaded a gun and fired a shot into the ground, prompting the witness to flee into the yard. He then heard several gunshots coming from the property and saw Kauffmann drive away in the Kia. The witness then ran to the back of the house, where he found Barela.

Officers have filed a warrant for Kauffmann’s arrest, and he remains at large.