An Aztec woman has been charged with second‑degree murder in the death of Lana Justice, also of Aztec.
Bonita Lynn Schultze, 66, was arrested March 3 after a nearly two‑month investigation into the disappearance and killing of Justice, who last made contact with her family on Jan. 14.
Justice was found dead six days later, her body stuffed into a “black and red container” in the closet of her mobile home in the 1,000 block of Aztec Boulevard, according to the arrest‑warrant affidavit.
A Jan. 22 autopsy concluded that Justice was killed by “blunt force trauma, along with asphyxiation of the neck and chest.”
Almost all of the ribs on Justice’s right side were broken, and her hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage also were broken, according to the autopsy report.
Justice had a pacemaker, and the last normal activity recorded on it was before 7:17 a.m. Jan. 17, according to the affidavit.
Schultze reportedly had been living with Justice on a month‑to‑month rental agreement signed Dec. 10, the affidavit says.
Under the agreement, Schultze was provided a room, a private bathroom and a parking space for $400 per month. She also agreed to leave the property within 15 days if rent was not paid, according to the affidavit.
When Aztec police executed a search warrant at the home, they found a notice to vacate for Schultze from Justice. The notice stated that Justice asked Schultze to leave the home by Jan. 31, but she did not do so.
Schultze was still living in the home when police followed up on the missing person’s report filed Jan. 18 by Justice’s son, Nic Gonzales, the affidavit says.
Police questioned Schultze that day. She reportedly told officers that Justice had left for Texas “several days earlier,” although her “walker and cane,” which she needed “to move and walk,” were still inside the residence, according to the affidavit.
Two days later, police returned to the home at 2:44 p.m. Jan. 20 in response to Schultze reporting a “self‑reported suicide attempt via overdose of pills,” the affidavit says.
While investigating, officers noticed an odor consistent with either “decomposition” or “the odor of a geriatric person, who had not been cared for or cleaned in some time,” according to the affidavit.
Schultze reportedly gave police permission to search the residence, and officers found Justice’s body.
A search of the home also uncovered a knife with apparent blood on it under the mattress in Schultze’s bedroom. Investigators also found blood on the wall, doorframe and carpet, the affidavit says.
When questioned, Schultze reportedly “showed no real emotion, other than when referring to her situation and how she had been treated in life,” the affidavit says.
She also reportedly told officers that Justice had threatened to kill her, but Schultze said she was “not very worried” because Justice was “just a little thing.” She added that Justice was “very mean with a knife,” according to the affidavit.
Schultze denied harming Justice.
The San Juan County District Attorney’s Office will not file a pretrial detention hold on Schultze. This is her first criminal offense.
