Police shot suicidal man, says girlfriend

Jen Lawson

Monday, March 15, 2004 | 9:42 a.m.

Mateo Machella was suicidal the day he was shot and killed by Metro Police, his ex-girlfriend testified at a coroner's inquest Friday.

Wendy Carrion said Machella had been drinking for four days straight, and she went to his apartment in the Courtyard Village complex near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road on Feb. 14 because she was worried about him.

Machella, who Carrion said had talked about suicide before, had a shotgun in his apartment and had written a suicide note, which she saw on the counter.

"He said, 'Hold me. Don't let me go. Stay with me,' " Carrion testified.

But she had to go to work. When she left his apartment, she called 911.

A three-hour standoff ensued, ending when Machella came out of his apartment and pointed a shotgun at police.

The inquest jury unanimously decided that Officers Eric Judson and Steve Thaxton were justified in fatally shooting Machella.

Police testified that when they arrived Machella refused to open his door. They heard him "racking" his pump action shotgun numerous times and heard a shot come from the apartment.

After that Machella opened the door and peered out. He had a shotgun in his hand, several police officers said.

Judkins said Machella pointed the gun at him.

"I felt he was going to shoot me," he said. "He came out with the gun and raised the gun at me. There's no other action I could have taken."

Judkins fired one shot, and so did Thaxton, who was trying to protect Judkins. Machella died at the scene.

In Machella's apartment, police found a note he had written for them, telling them where to find his two dogs and suggesting they feed them cereal to calm them down.

Machella signed off by writing, "405, man," which is Metro's code for suicide, police said.