Homicide victim 'happy and outgoing'

CLOVIS -- Friends described Kelsey Cash as a good mother, with an outgoing "bubbly and goofy" personality.

Police said the 28-year-old woman was gunned down in her downtown apartment on Wednesday night.

Adrian Chavez, 26, was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with an open count of murder. Court records show Cash and Chavez had been seeing each other, that they argued frequently, and that Chavez was known to carry a firearm.

Police were called to Cash's apartment in the 100 block of East Second Street about 9:45 Wednesday night after nearby residents reported hearing multiple gunshots.

The first officer on scene saw Cash's door had been forced open from the outside and the door and its frame were damaged, records show.

Cash was found dead inside, her body pierced with multiple gunshots.

Friends described Cash as family oriented, upbeat, and a good mother to 6-year-old Kaydence, her only child.

"We grew up together here in Clovis," Adriana Romero said. "Kelsey was the best momma. She loved that little girl so much.

"We loved to go to Draggin' Main every year. Kelsey loved her rap music: Megan Thee Stallion, Kevin Gates. Kelsey was always happy, talking, a positive person. Her smile was so infectious."

Ashlie Griego is another longtime friend of Cash's.

"We met in fifth grade," Griego said. "We lived four houses away from each other."

"Kelsey was a friend of mine for a long time," Griego continued, her voice choked with emotion. "We were like family.

"Kelsey was an amazing mother ... she took care of her grandparents and both of her brothers too. Kelsey ... was so happy and outgoing, bubbly and goofy."

Added Kayla Canelas, who worked with Cash as an esthetician, providing cosmetic skin-care treatments:

"She was true, she was honest, she had your back no matter what. Kelsey saw the best in every single person no matter what. She knew how to laugh, she knew how to make the best of every situation. Kelsey was a beautiful soul."

Court records show a witness told police he saw a man "fleeing the area of the apartment" and trying to get into a black Dodge Charger, the witness' own car.

Realizing the mistake the suspect ran to another black Dodge Charger, apparently his, and drove off.

Further investigation by Clovis police detectives led them to identify Chavez as a suspect, records show.

Cash's mother, Katrina Cash, was interviewed by police as part of the investigation. During that interview, Katrina Cash received a phone call from Chavez, records show.

Clovis Police Lt. Trevor Thron then spoke with Chavez who said he was at his home on North Thornton Street in Clovis. Thron asked Chavez to come downtown to the police department to speak with officers. Chavez said he would not "unless the officers had a warrant for his arrest," records show.

Chavez was arrested about 3:30 Thursday morning and booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center. He is being held without bond.

Griego said Cash's daughter was staying with grandparents in Clovis on the night of the shooting.