SHIPROCK, NM – A 25-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his former girlfriend’s father to death during an early morning altercation on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, federal authorities said.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on June 27, Navajo Nation police responded to a residence in Shiprock after receiving a report of a stabbing. Officers found a man lying in the driveway with a severe neck wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.

Investigators identified the suspect as Armondo Paul, 25, who was quickly apprehended and remains in federal custody. Authorities have not publicly released the name of the victim, citing the ongoing investigation.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Paul went to his ex-girlfriend’s home a few hours before the attack, despite her reluctance to see him. The woman said she eventually agreed to meet Paul outside to avoid further conflict and later gave him a ride to his mother’s house, urging him to get some rest.

Paul later told investigators he was unable to sleep, troubled by intense emotions. Police documents state his thoughts fluctuated between self-harm and outward violence. Acting on these impulses, Paul reportedly took a kitchen knife and returned to his ex-girlfriend’s home.

Once there, Paul allegedly cut power to the house to provoke a reaction. Both his ex-girlfriend and her father stepped outside to investigate. The encounter escalated quickly, leading them to retreat indoors and lock the door behind them.

Paul, described by authorities as becoming enraged, allegedly forced his way into the home. He is accused of grabbing his ex-girlfriend’s arm, prompting her father to try to intervene. In the ensuing struggle, Paul allegedly stabbed the older man in the neck with the knife.

The victim managed to make his way outside and collapsed in the driveway as Paul reportedly watched. The affidavit notes Paul later described seeing the victim bleeding heavily and struggling to breathe.

After the assault, Paul reentered the home and forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s bedroom, where she was sheltering with her child. He reportedly left after seeing the child was frightened, then fled the scene on foot as emergency crews arrived.

Authorities arrested Paul nearby shortly after the incident. He has been assigned a public defender, and his next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

The FBI and Navajo Nation Police Department continue to investigate the homicide.