SANTA FE, N.M. (Court TV) — A New Mexico man faces a life sentence after he was convicted of working with his girlfriend to murder a woman with a sword.

Isaac Apodaca, 30, was found guilty on charges of murder and conspiracy in the death of 21-year-old Grace Jennings, who was found dead in a detached garage at a property where the defendant lived with his girlfriend.

Officers were dispatched to the property on Oct. 29, 2022, after Apodaca’s mother called to say that her son had told her that he had witnessed his girlfriend kill another woman with a sword. When officers arrived, they found Jennings’ lifeless body; she had cuts to her legs and so many wounds that it “appeared her left ear had been chopped off.” A long sword, covered in blood, was on the dresser.

Also in the home was Apodaca’s girlfriend, Kiara McCulley, who had cuts on her hands that were covered in bandages, police said. They also noticed that the washing machine was on, with 15 minutes left in the cycle.

McCulley entered a guilty plea in the case in 2025 as part of an agreement with prosecutors that will see her serve 30 years in exchange for her truthful testimony against Apodaca. In an interview with officers, she initially claimed she didn’t know what happened but also admitted that she was angry that Apodaca had invited Jennings to stay with them, and recalled having dreams about harming Jennings.

But investigators said it was Apodaca who convinced McCulley to kill the victim. Prosecutors said text messages show the two had been communicating and conspiring to kill Jennings, with Apodaca aggressively coercing his girlfriend to take action.

Apodaca met Jennings in 2018; the defendant told officers in an interview that he had a relationship with her when she was 16 and he was 20, which he acknowledged was illegal. In a separate interview, McCulley also said that she had dated the victim prior to either woman having a relationship with Apodaca. Before Jennings’ death, Apodaca said, he and the two women had all shared a bed, but he maintained that there was no sexual relationship that included her.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 6 – 7/15/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 6 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• Both sides delivered closing arguments.
• The jury began its deliberations.
• The jury reached a verdict in less than two hours.

DAY 5 – 7/14/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 5 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• Sgt. Javier Vigil, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Vigil returned to the witness stand to continue his testimony.
  • Apodaca denied hurting Jennings throughout the interview.
  • Vigil discussed the specifics of Apodaca’s interrogation.
• Kiara McCulley, co-defendant
  • McCulley, now 23, admitted she is testifying pursuant to a plea agreement.
  • Met Grace Jennings in second grade; later, in their teens, they grew closer and began dating. She later met Apodaca while at the mall with Jennings.
  • Described a violent incident on April 4, 2022, when Apodaca allegedly broke her thumb and left her with bruises all over her body. She said she declined to pursue charges.
  • Said she began doing sex work at Apodaca’s suggestion.
  • Apodaca convinced her that Jennings had masterminded, accepted money for and recorded McCulley’s rape.
  • Apodaca brought Jennings to their shared home after McCulley said she wanted to kill her.
  • She tried to back out of killing Jennings, but said that Apodaca threatened her mother. When she was handed the sword, she closed her eyes and swung.
  • Said that while in jail she felt like she saw Apodaca everywhere and in mirrors, but maintained she knew what is real and what is not.
  • MORE: ‘I had no choice’: Confessed killer says Isaac Apodaca forced her to kill with sword
• Dr. Michael Welner, forensic psychiatrist
  • Reviewed documents and other evidence in the case; explained the dynamics of coercive control and sex work in an intimate partner relationship.
  • Described Apodaca as controlling and demanding and McCulley as dependent.
  • Apodaca had homicidal tendencies.

DAY 4 – 7/13/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 4 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• Sgt. Javier Vigil, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Served as case agent for the investigation.
  • Interviewed Apodaca; the interrogation recording was played for the jury.
  • Apodaca consented to have his phone searched. Vigil read portions of the extraction, which included text messages he and McCulley sent back and forth discussing killing Jennings.
• A juror was dismissed after falling asleep during proceedings.

DAY 3 – 7/10/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 3 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• The prosecution and defense argued over the admissibility of jail phone calls outside the jury’s presence.
• Dr. Emily Helmrich, medical examiner
  • Helmrich supervised Jennings’ autopsy and determined her death was a homicide, caused by sharp force injuries.
  • Jennings had 12 stab wounds and at least eight incised wounds; she had additional wounds to her hands.
  • Some of the injuries to Jennings’ body were inflicted postmortem.
  • One stab wound to Jennings’ back injured her right lung; other stab wounds injured her spleen, her diaphragm and her ribs.
  • None of the injuries suffered would have been immediately fatal, which means it would have taken Jennings at least a couple of minutes to die.

DAY 2 – 7/9/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 2 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• Lani McCully, Kiara McCulley’s mother
  • Her daughter and Apodaca knew each other for approximately three years and lived in a detached garage on her property.
  • She saw the double-handed sword with a 36-inch blade when it was delivered by Amazon two days prior to Jennings’ death.
  • MORE: 36-inch sword used to kill Grace Jennings came from Amazon, mom testifies
• Detective Brandon Deetz, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Testified to photos of McCulley and Apodaca after they were taken into custody; each had scratches on their forearms.
• Officer Maria Tena, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Responded to the scene as a crime scene technician to document, collect and preserve evidence.
  • Collected clothing with red staining; blankets stained with blood were also collected.
  • A dagger and sword were present in the room.
  • The witness showed the jury the sword, which was tied down in a box.
  • The jury was shown photos of the garage, which appeared very messy.
  • Clumps of hair identified as Jennings’ were visible on the ground.

DAY 1 – 7/8/26

• LIVESTREAM: NM v. Isaac Apodaca – Day 1 | Bloody Sword Murder Trial
• The prosecution delivered an opening statement.
  • Apodaca planned the murder of Grace Jennings starting on Oct. 28, through texts with his girlfriend, Kiara McCulley.
  • Jennings was brutally stabbed with a sword.
  • The three knew each other; Jennings and McCulley had dated as teens.
  • Apodaca and Jennings met on Snapchat and met in person when she ran into them at the mall.
  • Apodaca manipulated McCulley into killing Jennings by talking about a secret society for sex traffickers.
  • WATCH: Alleged Sword Slayer Convinced Girlfriend to Kill Former Lover: Prosecution
• Apodaca’s defense attorney delivered an opening statement.
  • The defendant did not manipulate or coerce McCulley into killing Jennings.
  • Apodaca was gullible and manipulated by McCulley, who had raged and planned this.
  • WATCH: Sword Slaying Trial: Defense Says Girlfriend Manipulated Him
• Christopher Flores, dispatcher
  • Discussed 911 calls made during the incident.
  • One call was from Apodaca’s mother.
  • The other call was from Apodaca, who said he was in the back of a friend’s car and he had seen somebody walk up to the car and kill them.
  • WATCH: Mother’s Chilling 911 Call After Sword Slaying Revealed
• Keianna Aguilar, knew Apodaca and McCulley
  • Met the couple five to six years prior.
  • One night they were drinking and McCulley said she wanted to stab Jennings. The witness didn’t think she was serious at first.
  • She was jealous of Jennings because Apodaca had dated her before.
  • WATCH: Girlfriend’s Jealousy Led to Sword Killing, Friend Says
• Officer Alejandro Arroyo, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Arrived at the scene and discovered the victim on the ground.
  • The room was disgusting and was covered in cat feces; blood was everywhere and on the sword.
• Detective Francisco Alvardo, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Asked by McCulley’s mother about what they were doing there.
  • McCulley was detained and had bandages on her hands.
  • Notified Jennings’ mother of her death.
• Detective Manuel Romero, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Transported Kiara McCulley to the police department.
• Linda Louisa Montoya, Apodaca’s mother
  • Her son was living with McCulley’s parents at the time of the incident.
  • He called his mother and told her to call 911 and to pick him up.
  • She was sick and couldn’t pick him up.
• Det. Cesar Orneals, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Showed bodycam of his interactions with Apodaca at the scene.
• Officer Derek Arn, Santa Fe Police Department
  • Showed bodycam of his interactions with Apodaca.
  • He said a knife or something was placed on his back while the three of them were in bed.