FORD COUNTY—A man who told police he shot his wife has made his first court appearance.
Judge Sidney Thomas charged 31-year-old Israel Esquivel-Ibarra with First Degree, Premeditated, Murder and Criminal Discharge of a Firearm in the death of 31-year-old Emma Prieto Benitez, according to the Ford County Attorney's office.
Just before 6a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the 3000 block of Gary Avenue in Dodge City in response to reports of shots fired, according to a media release.
While officers were arriving in the area, a man later identified as Ibarra approached officers at the Police Department and stated that he had just shot his wife.
Based on the information provided, officers responded to the location given by Ibarra and discovered Emma Prieto Benitez in her vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate life-saving efforts by first responders, she died her injuries at the scene.
Ibarra was taken into custody without incident and remains jailed on a one-million dollar bond. He scheduled to return to court October 30, according to the county attorney.