The Dotson family accepted a $6 million settlement after Farmington police mistakenly approached 5305 instead of 5308 Valley View Avenue in April 2023 and shot homeowner Robert Dotson 12 times. A January 2024 state review declined to pursue criminal charges, and a federal judge granted qualified immunity on the Fourth Amendment claim in May 2025. The settlement, paid through Travelers Insurance, resolved remaining state-law claims without any admission of liability.
Farmington Agrees to $6M Settlement After Police Mistakenly Shoot Homeowner at Wrong Address
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More than three years after Farmington officers approached the wrong house and fatally shot homeowner Robert Dotson, the family has accepted a $6 million settlement to resolve state-law claims. Settlement documents obtained by the Tri-City Record show the payment was made through Travelers Insurance and that neither the city nor the officers admitted liability.
What Happened
Shortly before midnight on April 5, 2023, Farmington police responded to a report of a possible domestic-violence incident at 5308 Valley View Avenue. Officers Daniel Estrada, Dylan Goodluck and Waylon Wasson instead went to 5305. They knocked, announced themselves as police and, after repeated attempts, a man inside opened the screen door holding a handgun.
Body-Camera Evidence and Timeline
Federal court records summarize body-camera footage showing that Robert Dotson opened the door and, within about two seconds, officers fired. Dotson was struck 12 times. Minutes later, Kimberly Dotson came to the entryway and fired one shot in the officers' general direction; two officers returned fire but she was not hit.
Criminal and Civil Reviews
New Mexico's Department of Justice reviewed the shootings for possible criminal charges and in January 2024 concluded prosecution could not be sustained. That decision cited an analysis by Seth Stoughton, a University of South Carolina law professor and former police officer, who concluded the officers faced an imminent threat once the handgun was raised.
The Dotson estate pursued civil claims, including a federal Fourth Amendment claim alleging an unreasonable seizure. In May 2025, U.S. District Judge Matthew Garcia granted the officers qualified immunity on that federal claim, finding that although the officers negligently approached the wrong property without confirming the address, their use of deadly force was objectively reasonable after Dotson raised the gun. The federal Fourth Amendment claim was dismissed with prejudice.
Settlement and Remaining Questions
The family's remaining state-law claims, filed in July 2025 under the New Mexico Civil Rights Act and the Tort Claims Act, were not litigated to a civil-finding at trial. Instead, the parties reached a settlement: the Dotson family released the city and the officers from further claims in exchange for $6 million paid by Travelers Insurance. The agreement includes no admission of liability.
Key Legal Outcomes: No criminal charges were filed; a federal judge granted qualified immunity on the Fourth Amendment claim; the family received a civil settlement resolving state-law claims.
This case highlights how a single operational error—responding to the wrong address—can lead to complex criminal, civil and public-policy consequences, prompting scrutiny of police procedures, address-verification technology and training.
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