In an ongoing Wichita Falls murder investigation from May 2024, police have made a fifth arrest in just 15 days, after uncovering evidence of a theft scheme tied to one of the suspects’ phones. Patricia Vasquez, a Wichita Falls resident, was arrested on April 10, 2025, and charged with organized retail theft.
The charge relates to stealing merchandise valued between $2,500 and $30,000, a state jail felony. As of the latest reports, Vasquez is being held in the Wichita County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
The Discovery of the Theft Scheme
According to the arrest affidavit, the Wichita Falls Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detective made the discovery while executing a search warrant on the phone of Elmondo Gildon, who was arrested earlier on April 9, 2025, in connection with the murder investigation. The detective found messages that pointed to a possible retail theft scheme involving a Lowe’s employee.
The messages were between Gildon and a contact saved as “Lowes Lady,” who was later identified as Vasquez. The messages, spanning from August 2023 to January 2025, indicated that Vasquez was involved in obtaining merchandise from Lowe’s, including items like ceiling fans, cabinets, and paint.
The messages also discussed how these items would be picked up and sold later, often with payments being made away from the store.
Connection to Lowe’s and the Scheme’s Details
Lowe’s management confirmed that Vasquez was indeed an employee at the Wichita Falls store, and police were provided with transaction histories and evidence of merchandise shortages linked to the items discussed between Vasquez and Gildon.
Lowe’s loss prevention personnel provided police with a report on April 3, which showed that the items discussed totaled $3,296.86. These items, according to the messages, were sold to Gildon at half their retail price.
The scheme involved Vasquez and Gildon coordinating the payment for the stolen merchandise, either by meeting away from the store or through Gildon placing money in Vasquez’s unlocked vehicle. This evidence led to Vasquez’s arrest on charges of organized retail theft.
Ongoing Murder Investigation
Vasquez’s arrest is the fifth in connection with the ongoing murder investigation, with four other individuals having been arrested since March 27, 2025. These arrests include:
- Brittany Johnson – Arrested on March 27, 2025, charged with aggravated perjury
- Zelma Barry – Arrested on March 29, 2025, charged with aggravated perjury
- Latarrah Roberts – Arrested on March 31, 2025, charged with aggravated perjury
- Elmondo Gildon – Arrested on April 9, 2025, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm
The investigation is still ongoing, and while the arrests have all mentioned either an “active murder investigation” or a “homicide that occurred in May 2024,” it is unclear which of these arrests are specifically related to the murder case. As of now, there are no confirmed connections between the suspects and the actual murder incident.