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RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Police have charged a 66-year-old man with shooting two people, killing one, on Saturday.

Donald Alber of Rio Rancho is charged with an open court of murder, attempted murder and possession of a stolen firearm in the death of Gary Morrin, 25, of Albuquerque, and wounding of Ashley Garcia, 25, of Rio Rancho, according to a news release from Rio Rancho Police.

About 2 p.m. Saturday, RRPD officers responded to a report of a shooting at 4904 Canyon Gate Place in Enchanted Hills. Alber met them outside the house and said he’d shot two people who had entered his house and attacked him, according to the criminal complaint filed in Sandoval County Magistrate Court.

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Alber had “significant” injuries to his head, face and arms, according to the complaint. He was taken to UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center.

Neighbors described him as a Vietnam-era veteran who was “a disgruntled type of guy” and “a little different.” One neighbor described a “courtesy wave” when Alber was seen; another reported police had been at the Alber home Friday, speaking to a “young girl.”

Officers found Garcia in the bedroom of the house across the street with a gunshot wound in her left shoulder. They located Morrin lying in the intersection of Wildflower Pass Drive and Westfield Court with two gunshot wounds to his right arm and one in the right side of his back.

Morrin died en route to SRMC. Garcia was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.

Once she was stabilized, Garcia told a detective she had gone to Alber’s house to pack her belongings and move out. She said she and Alber argued, and Alber attacked her and choked her.

Then Morrin walked in and started to fight with Alber, Garcia said, according to the complaint. She ran and hid in the bedroom closet.

Garcia told the detective she heard gunshots inside the house and Morrin scream. Shortly thereafter, she said, Alber found her in the closet and shot her.

Garcia ran to the house across the street, went inside and collapsed on a bed, according to the complaint.

After Alber was medically cleared and interviewed, he told police Garcia had been staying with him for a few months. He said he called her Saturday and told her to come get her belongings.

Alber told police the two got into a fight and the only way he could defend himself was to strangle Garcia. Alber said Morrin arrived and fought with him.

According to the complaint, Alber said he became incapacitated and Morrin stopped beating him. Alber told police he went to his bedroom and took a .22-caliber revolver out of the dresser drawer.

Morrin walked toward the bedroom, saw Alber with the gun and tried to run away, Alber said. Then Alber shot him, according to the complaint.

Morrin ran out of the house, and Alber found Garcia in the closet.

Alber told police that he was mad that Garcia had treated him so badly, according to the complaint, and he shot her.

When dispatchers checked the gun with the National Crime Information Center, they learned it had been reported stolen from Albuquerque in 1978, according to the complaint.

Alber told police he’d owned the gun for about 30 years but didn’t remember how he acquired it.

Garcia was in stable condition Sunday, according to the RRPD news release.

Monday afternoon, Alber remained jailed at Sandoval County Detention Center in lieu of a $605,000 cash-only bond.

Detectives were continuing to investigate Monday.

The incident was the third fatal shooting in less than two months.

Andrew Anderson, 23, of Rio Rancho, died after being shot Dec. 28, and Amanda Jo Lucero and Emily Lucero, both 23, were charged with first-degree murder in his death.

Then, on Dec. 31, Carlos Rueda, 22, was fatally shot during a New Year’s Eve party. Ryan Wathen, 20, was charged with second-degree murder and told police Rueda insisted the gun wasn’t loaded.

“The random events the city has witnessed over the last two months are unfortunate,” said Rio Rancho Police Officer Janet Garcia in an email. “All three events have involved bad judgment and the misuse of firearms. Citizens should not be overly concerned with these recent events because in all three cases, the victim has known the offender. The Rio Rancho Police Department has responded to each of these events to the best of their ability and will continue to do so.”

Still, Garcia advised people to stay aware of their surroundings.

(Observer staff writer Gary Herron contributed to this story.)