WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A Wichita Falls woman has become the fifth person arrested in connection to a 2024 murder investigation, after police uncovered a retail theft scheme through evidence found on a suspect’s phone.
Patricia Vasquez was booked into the Wichita County Jail on Thursday, April 10, 2025, and charged with organized retail theft of more than $2,500 but less than $30,000 — a state jail felony. Her bond was set at $25,000.
According to police, during the execution of a search warrant on Elmondo Gildon’s phone — a suspect recently arrested in an ongoing murder investigation — detectives uncovered a message thread between Gildon and a contact saved as “Lowes Lady.”
The messages, dating from August 2023 to January 2025, detailed a coordinated theft operation involving stolen merchandise from a local Lowe’s hardware store, including ceiling fans, doors, cabinets, and paint. The communication reportedly included instructions for pickup and off-site payment.
The “Lowes Lady” was later identified as Patricia Vasquez, an employee at the Wichita Falls Lowe’s. Police collaborated with Lowe’s loss prevention team, who confirmed Vasquez’s employment and conducted an internal review.
Investigators documented 23 stolen items discussed between Vasquez and Gildon, totaling $3,296.86. Messages showed Vasquez offered items at half-price, coordinated pickup schedules, and arranged for payment either offsite or left in her unlocked vehicle.
Vasquez’s arrest is the fifth made since March 27, 2025, stemming from a murder case dating back to May 2024. The four prior arrests include:
Brittany Johnson – Aggravated perjury (March 27)
Zelma Barry – Aggravated perjury (March 29)
Latarrah Roberts – Aggravated perjury (March 31)
Elmondo Gildon – Unlawful firearm possession (April 9)
Though all arrests reference an active homicide investigation, authorities have not confirmed whether they are tied to a single incident.
The investigation remains ongoing.
