By Roger Lanse

On Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at around 2:56 p.m., a Grant County Sherif's Office deputy made contact with Carol Garcia, 54, of Gilbert, Arizona, at 3 Artcher Road, Space 9, in Silver City. Garcia is the owner of the property, and she told the deputy, according to a GCSO offense report, "We came from Arizona because were(sp.) heard that Jesus Flores had passed away from the accident that happened yesterday. We got here at around 10:30 a.m. and wanted to get his stuff out of the house to give to his family. I do own the trailer, we just let him stay here because his wife had passed away and he only stayed in the room. When we tried opening the door, we noticed the door was broken. I didn't find out till later that he had $75,000 in a black box under his bed along with important documentation. The neighbor told me that the money was under the bed and my mom had actually seen the money before she passed, so I know it was there."

The deputy observed the damage to the back door where a piece of the wooden frame was broken off where the deadbolt should be.

Garcia stated, the report said, that one of Jesus' daughters, approximately 16-years-old, had come to the residence looking for the black box, "and started to cry when she could not find it."

According to a supplemental report, earlier at about 8:18 a.m., a GCSO deputy returned a phone call to Jesus Flores, the son of Jesus Flores, 78, who was killed in a vehicle crash at Highway 180 and Morales Road in Arenas Valley the day before. Flores told the deputy he had heard that his brothers and sisters had gone to his father's house and taken all his stuff. He said he had a good relationship with his father and knew his dad had a black box with $75,000 and other important paperwork.

Flores gave the deputy names of his brothers and sisters who may have gone to the house, but was unsure of any of their last names, and did not know if any of his brothers or sisters carry the last name of Flores.

The deputy also contacted Tonilynn Stegent of Arenas Valley, who advised she and her husband watched over the elder Flores. She also confirmed, according to this report, that there was a black box containing a large amount of money that belonged to the elder Flores.

The deputy also spoke with the above-mentioned Carol Garcia. According to this report, Garcia showed the deputy paperwork that named her as executor of her mom's property and home at the location. She stated she had contacted the family of the elder Flores and told them to come get their father's belongings and even gave them the guns from under the bed where the black box was taken from.

Due to unknown suspects at this time, a charge requested by Garcia for the broken back door will be pending.