A 19-year-old man, Nathaniel Archuleta, will spend decades in prison after killing his girlfriend, Mary Halcomb, back in 2024, after he found that she was texting another man. He would then attempt to stage the scene as a suicide, to no avail.
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According to a release issued by the Peoria County State Attorney’s Office, Archuleta was sentenced to 45 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on July 7. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2024 death of Halcomb, with the guilty plea being supported by the victim’s family.
Present at the courtroom were many of Halcomb’s family members, who became emotional after describing what her death had caused them, describing Archuleta’s crime as “selfish and unforgivable.”
“They spoke of sleepless nights, nightmares, and persistent heartbreak. They described their overwhelming sense of loss, loss of sisterly moments, shared dreams, and life milestones that will never come,” the release added.
Murder
As per the release, the incident occurred on September 6, 2024. Police responded to a call that a woman, Mary Halcomb, had shot herself in a South Peoria residence.
Upon arrival, responding officers found Halcomb lying in a pool of blood on the stairway landing. She had suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
However, while investigating the incident, officers found evidence that contradicted the claim that her death was a suicide.
Officers found a blood trail from the downstairs bedroom where the shooting occurred. The trail ended in the stairway landing. It appeared as if Halcomb’s body had been moved.
Most notably, however, a Post-it note was found in the downstairs bedroom. It read, “I, Mary Elyce Halcomb, promise to never break Nathanial Archuleta’s heart. And if I do, Nathaniel Archuleta has every right to euthanize me, vice versa, I love you.”
Archuleta was then questioned by police. He gave conflicting accounts of what had occurred. Initially, he claimed that Halcomb had died by suicide. Then, he said that the gun went off accidentally when he was cleaning it.
Eventually, police discovered that Arhculeta admitted to a fellow inmate that he had shot Halcomb dead. Reportedly, he had found that she was texting another man.
In her obituary, Mary Halcomb is remembered lovingly by his family members.
“Her warmth and kindness were evident in every aspect of her life, especially in her role as the oldest of three siblings,” the obituary reads. “She was a devoted and awesome big sister, always ready to lend a hand at home.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline​. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available.