New Mexico Teacher Charged with Husband’s 2020 Stabbing Death After Years-Long Investigation

Farmington police have arrested Heather Fernandez-Hoefer, 51, in connection with the fatal stabbing of her late husband, Robert Hoefer, nearly four years ago.

Farmington, NM – Nearly four years after the tragic death of 49-year-old Robert Hoefer, Farmington police have arrested and charged his wife, 51-year-old Heather Fernandez-Hoefer, in connection with his fatal stabbing.

Authorities responded to a 911 call on November 29, 2020, at a residence on South Ivie Avenue, where they discovered Hoefer suffering from multiple stab wounds. Despite initial statements from Fernandez-Hoefer suggesting her husband had injured himself, investigators quickly found inconsistencies that led to a deeper probe.

According to a criminal affidavit reviewed by KRQE-TV, Fernandez-Hoefer initially claimed that she had been in another room when her husband allegedly stabbed himself. She told police she returned to find him wounded, cleaned his chest with a washcloth, and then went to bed. She said she discovered him face-down on the bedroom floor the following morning.

However, police noted several red flags in the scene and her account. Blood was found on the bed but not on the floor where she claimed to have found him, and there was no trace of blood outside the bedroom other than on the washcloth allegedly used during cleanup.

An autopsy later confirmed that Hoefer died from three deep stab wounds to the chest, which punctured both lungs and severed a coronary artery—injuries highly inconsistent with self-infliction, according to medical examiners.

Investigators later uncovered digital and testimonial evidence indicating that the couple had reportedly argued over financial issues and Robert’s previous relationship in the early hours of that morning. A neighbor told authorities they heard the couple in a heated dispute between 3 and 4 a.m.

After years of collecting and reviewing evidence, Farmington police arrested Heather Fernandez-Hoefer on April 1, 2025. She now faces charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

At the time of her arrest, Fernandez-Hoefer was employed as a third-grade teacher at McCormick Elementary School. The Farmington Municipal School District has since placed her on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.

The arrest brings a renewed sense of urgency to the importance of recognizing signs of domestic conflict and ensuring thorough investigations in cases of suspected intimate partner violence.