Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Police say it now appears a 34-year-old Curry County man whose nose was bitten off in a fight was actually trying to subdue a party crasher wielding a knife.
Police originally had information that identified Gilbert Aburto as the person with the knife. They now say another man had the knife and bit Aburto’s nose off during a struggle.
“It’s still changing,” Police Capt. Patrick Whitney said. “This is what usually happens when people are pointing the finger at each other.”
Whitney said a man was ejected from a party at a home in Clovis early Sunday morning and returned later, breaking down the door. He said witnesses reported the man grabbed a knife from the kitchen and several at the party, including Aburto, attempted to subdue him.
Whitney said the man denies biting Aburto, though everyone agrees a fight took place.
“As far as who did what to who first, that is what we’re still trying to figure out,” Whitney said.
Paulyna Aburto, Gilbert’s sister, said her brother went to Lubbock to see a specialist. The specialist performed out-patient reconstructive surgery on Aburto’s nose using a piece of his ear and he returned to Clovis.