What did Briton Hagan do? New Mexico husband kills young police cadet wife in apparent murder-suicide

On November 21, 2023, 41-year-old Briton Hagan of New Mexico reportedly shot his 32-year-old wife, Taylor Hagan, to death before turning the gun on himself. Taylor was a cadet who was completing her training for the Albuquerque Police Department.

Albuquerque Journal reported that a spokeswoman from the University of New Mexico stated that Briton Hagan had graduated from the university in 2017 with a Ph.D. in physical education.

Albuquerque Police Department recognized Taylor Hagan as a victim of domestic violence.

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Briton Hagan committed the crime inside the couple's residence

KRQE reported that on November 21, 2023, at about 4:28 p.m., officers responded to the Olympus Encantada apartment complex at 6401 Santa Monica Avenue North-East following a neighbor reported a possible disturbance in a nearby apartment.

Albuquerque Journal reported that an Albuquerque police spokesman, Gilbert Gallegos, stated that authorities located the deceased bodies of Briton Hagan and his wife, Taylor Hagan, inside the apartment the couple shared near San Pedro and San Antonio.

The department's homicide detectives concluded that Briton Hagan first fatally shot his wife and then himself.

A news release by the Albuquerque Police Department stated that Police Chief Harold Medina informed Taylor's fellow cadets of the tragic news.

The body of Taylor Hagan was escorted by the Albuquerque Police Department's Honor Guard as she was taken to the Office of the Medical Investigator. Police Chief Harold Medina said:

"Taylor was working hard to meet the challenges of becoming an APD officer. She chose to serve the community as a police officer and keep the community safe. My sincere condolences go out to her family and loved ones on behalf of the entire APD family."

Albuquerque Journal reported that Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos mentioned that authorities found Taylor and Briton Hagan's 8-year-old son with a neighbor. However, it remains unclear whether the child was present in the apartment when the shooting took place.

According to the report by Albuquerque Journal, court records revealed that Taylor Hagan's parents have already filed a petition to acquire legal guardianship of the 8-year-old.

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Authorities claim "domestic violence tends to increase during the holidays"

In the news release by the Albuquerque Police Department, Mayor Tim Keller addressed the apparent murder-suicide and said:

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of police cadet Taylor Hagan and are keeping her loved ones and fellow cadets in our prayers. Domestic violence affects people from all walks of life and incidents can unfortunately increase during the holidays, so I urge everyone in our community to be on the look-out for warning signs of abuse."

KOAT reported that Domestic Violence Resource Center Director Maria Cahuenas said:

"We have advocates working during the holidays that can respond to the scene of domestic violence and begin to provide services to the victim right away. We understand how difficult it is to talk about it, to even process it. We will meet the victims where they are. They don't need to disclose anything that's happening. They can contact us to see what's available in the community."

The news release by the Albuquerque Police Department urged the victims of domestic violence to come forward and seek help. It read:

"Domestic violence tends to increase during the holidays. If someone is in immediate danger, we urge them to leave or have someone they can trust stay with them and call a crisis hotline for assistance, location of a women's shelter, counseling, and crisis intervention."