Howard Neal “Bud” Rice lived with his wife in the small town of Budville. In 1928 they operated a grocery store, Trading Post and a gas station, and the only automotive repair shop and wrecking service between Albuquerque and Grants.

In addition to the business Rice became the local Justice of the Peace and considered himself the “law west of the Pecos River.”

While Rice was respected and liked, he wasn’t entirely scrupulous, and used his position sometimes to further his own business interests by exploiting travelers along Route 66.

In the 1960s, when the Interstate 40 threatened to bypass Budville – Rice and his political pals ensured that the highway plans included an exit to enter Budville.

It all went down on a quiet evening in November 1967. A traveler entered the shop and brutally shot and killed Rice and one of his employees.
The killer escaped with $450. He left behind a “Bloodville.”

After Rice died, his widow continued to operate the Trading Post until her death in 1979.

In 2006, one of many owners tried to open the Trading Company again, but that was never successful.
The shop continues to be abandoned.
The adjoining house is occupied by the current owners.

The scary history made Budville Trading Post famous.