A Farmington man has been charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the January 2024 death of 33-year-old Kelsie Todacheeny, according to an affidavit for arrest warrant and criminal complaint filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.
Melvin Becenti, 34, was charged after Farmington police continued investigating the death that began after officers responded to a residence in the 2400 block of East 20th Street during the early morning hours of Jan. 15, 2024. All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Farmington police initially announced Jan. 15, 2024, that detectives were investigating Todacheeny’s death as a suspicious death while the investigation remained ongoing, according to a department news release issued that day.
According to the affidavit, officers were dispatched at approximately 3:27 a.m. after Becenti called emergency dispatch and reported returning home to find Todacheeny deceased. Police reported he also told dispatch she was purple and possibly not breathing and that he had walked to a nearby Speedway convenience store to use a telephone because he did not have a cellphone.
Court records state officers arrived at the residence and confirmed Todacheeny was deceased. According to the affidavit, detectives observed what appeared to be blood near Todacheeny’s body and in other areas of the residence before securing the home pending execution of a search warrant.
The affidavit states the investigation was reassigned to a new detective after the original lead investigator retired in late 2025. According to court records, the newly assigned detective reviewed prior interviews, physical evidence, surveillance footage and forensic findings over the course of the continued investigation before seeking the arrest warrant.
According to the affidavit, detectives continued reviewing the case after it was reassigned following the original investigator’s retirement, ultimately seeking an arrest warrant in July 2026 based on the evidence documented during the investigation.
Investigators alleged Becenti repeatedly changed his account of events throughout the investigation, including whether he and Todacheeny had argued before he left the residence, whether he went to Walmart to purchase dog food, how long he had been gone, when he last saw Todacheeny alive and what actions he took after discovering her, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states investigators wrote Becenti was the last person known to detectives to have seen Todacheeny alive. Police also alleged Becenti gave inconsistent statements regarding the position of Todacheeny’s body and acknowledged moving her body after discovering her.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators alleged Becenti cleaned up blood and moved bedding before contacting authorities with the intent to hinder the investigation, forming the basis for the tampering with evidence charge.
The affidavit states investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the Speedway convenience store where Becenti reported calling 911. Detectives alleged the video showed him entering the business wearing a white T-shirt with what appeared to be a dark-colored stain below the chest before walking back toward the residence after completing the call.
Court records state detectives interviewed a friend of Todacheeny who reported speaking with her by phone and video call on Jan. 14, 2024. According to the affidavit, the witness alleged she heard Becenti making repeated threats toward Todacheeny during those conversations and later provided detectives with screenshots and videos.
According to the affidavit, the detective wrote the videos appeared to show bruising beneath Todacheeny’s left eye, swelling to her right cheek and another apparent facial injury before her death. Investigators also alleged one recording showed Becenti manipulating Todacheeny’s face while she appeared to be asleep.
According to court records, the Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the manner of Todacheeny’s death a homicide. The affidavit states the autopsy listed the cause of death as asphyxial injuries and blunt trauma, with acute ethanol intoxication identified as another significant condition contributing to death. A ruling of homicide is a medical classification describing the manner of death and is not, by itself, a legal determination of criminal guilt.
Charges Filed
- Second-degree murder (second-degree felony)
- Tampering with evidence (third-degree felony)
Case Status
The criminal complaint was filed July 1, 2026, in San Juan County Magistrate Court. Court records reviewed by San Juan Pulse did not indicate whether Becenti had retained legal counsel at the time of filing.
Source
According to an affidavit for arrest warrant and criminal complaint filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court by the Farmington Police Department.
Legal Disclaimer
All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.