Man convicted of stalking ex-girlfriend, hiding in storage room, and killing her friend

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (TCN) — A 39-year-old man could spend over three decades behind bars for fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend’s friend nearly two years ago.

The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office announced March 28 that a jury convicted Chase Cuffie of second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His sentencing will be set for a later date, and he faces over 33 years in prison.

According to prosecutors and the Albuquerque Police Department, on July 15, 2023, officers responded to a shooting at an apartment, where they found Craig Dixon deceased with gunshot wounds. They also found shell casings in the living room.

Cuffie had allegedly been stalking his ex-girlfriend for several months. She reportedly told police that she and two friends were having drinks and went to the patio to smoke cigarettes. Cuffie reportedly hid and then “emerged from an outdoor storage room with a black handgun.”

According to police, Cuffie “yelled at the women and pushed them at gunpoint,” and he forced them to go inside the apartment. Dixon reportedly tried to run to the door, but Cuffie fatally shot him.

Cuffie’s ex-girlfriend went to a neighbor’s home and called police. Authorities arrested Cuffie on July 17, 2023, in Phoenix.

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