Bodycam of Grace Jennings Sword Murder

The victim’s remains showed multiple stab wounds, blunt-force trauma, and visible signs of decapitation attempts. A bloody sword lay on the floor nearby. This scene triggered a full-scale homicide investigation, and the home became an active crime scene.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kiara McCulley and 25-year-old Isaac Apodaca became primary persons of interest. McCulley lived on the property with her fiancé Apodaca in the garage in which the body was found. Officers confronted Apodaca after he called 911 from a nearby Metro PCS store, claiming to have arrived at the house and “found his girlfriend killing another female in the garage.” At the store, Apodaca was located barefoot, holding a knife and hammer, and bleeding from his toe. McCulley, initially inside the home, attempted to shut the back door and evade police entry.

Detectives then turned their focus to the couple’s interactions, reviewing phone records and digital messages tied to both suspects. Surveillance and body-cam footage captured the terrifying moment of discovery, and from there the investigation accelerated. McCulley was arrested for first-degree murder and tampering with evidence; Apodaca faced charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The immediacy of the evidence and brutality of the crime shocked the local community and drew national attention.

SUSPECT BEHAVIORS AND MOBILE EVIDENCE

As detectives examined the case closely, they uncovered text messages between McCulley and Apodaca that pointed to premeditation. Apodaca allegedly sent macro-coded texts such as, “Remember, you’ll move up the perks … since this is your first,” and, “I am wanting you to kill her.” McCulley claimed to be part of a “Ghost” organization led by Apodaca—an entity she said “got rid of people who were in charge of sex trafficking or hurting kids.” She alleged that by killing Jennings she would “get ranked up in her platoon.” McCulley also admitted to fantasizing multiple times about killing Jennings and reportedly confessed to partially hoping the victim was dead.

During his interrogation, Apodaca initially denied involvement, then admitted he had meant what the messages said. Meanwhile, McCulley’s behavior raised questions of competency. She claimed to suffer from delusions, psychosis, and memory lapses when asked to recall the crime. She accused the victim of having watched her being assaulted by multiple men and collecting money during the act; a claim investigators found to lack corroboration. The pair’s changing narratives and the phone data created a forensic trail leading to the courthouse.

Detective interviews were intense and covered both criminals’ backgrounds, mental health issues, and dark motives—ranging from personal vendetta to self-professed secret society membership. The pair’s connection to the victim, their prior relationships with her, and the alleged involvement of biker gang symbols and white-supremacist tattoos all added complexity to the case. The mobile and digital evidence played a key role in dismantling their initial claims of innocence.

LEGAL CHARGES AND COURT TIMELINE

McCulley and Apodaca were both initially charged with open counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy. McCulley was additionally charged with tampering with evidence after attempting to wash blood-soaked clothing with a Diet Mountain Dew can during a roadside encounter. Apodaca was later bound over for accessory to first-degree murder. McCulley’s competency was questioned by the court, delaying proceedings and leading to a mental-health evaluation.

In early 2025 McCulley entered a plea to second-degree murder under a deal that required her to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence. Sentencing details and Apodaca’s status remain in flux, but both defendants face decades behind bars. The unique facts—sword weapon, attempted cover-up, alleged underground society—ensure this remains one of the most covered true-crime cases out of New Mexico in recent years.

The legal process continues to unveil the full story: family briefings, command-center calls, detective roll-outs, and the emotional toll on the victim’s loved ones. Meanwhile, investigators remain focused on the alleged underlying motive involving secret-society fantasies and revenge. This case is still evolving, and future court filings and sentencing hearings are likely to add further details to the public record.

WHY THIS DOCUMENTARY SCENARIO RESONATES

The sheer brutality of the crime—nearly decapitating a 21-year-old woman with a sword—makes this case stand out. It combines elements of violent crime, digital conspiracy, psychological complexity, and modern investigative work caught on body-cam. Viewers watching online are drawn to the rare combination of weapons-based homicide, secret-society themes, and the rise of mobile-phone evidence in major crimes.

For true-crime viewers, this documentary sequence offers a full cycle: the call to police, the garage discovery, the arrests, the interrogations, and the ongoing legal case. It highlights how an ordinary domestic setting transformed overnight into a violent crime scene and how technology and human will intersect under extreme circumstances. It serves as a case study in modern homicide investigation and digital forensics.

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Bodycam of Grace Jennings Sword Murder, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Kiara McCulley, Isaac Apodaca