Courts

FBI: Pinehill Man Gets 27.5 Years For Fatal Family Shooting

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Pinehill man was sentenced to 27 and a half years in prison for a fatal family shooting.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on the morning of Dec. 22, 2023, Ellery Brent Yazzie, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, fatally shot his father and brother, shot and seriously injured his sister, and tried to shoot his mother in their family home. Yazzie then attempted to take his own life, but he survived.

Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Read More

Law Day Proclamation Recognizes ‘The Vision Of Unity’ In The U.S. Constitution

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Chief Justice David K. Thomson

New Mexico Supreme Court News:

SANTA FE — Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson issued a proclamation celebrating Law Day and recognizing the “enduring vision of unity” in the U.S. Constitution.

“The Preamble to the Constitution affirms that the Framers established this founding document as representatives of ‘We the People, in Order to Form a More Perfect Union’. That enduring vision of unity continues to guide us today as we reflect on our responsibilities to one another, our democratic principles, and the legal framework that binds us together,” the Read More

FBI: Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Armed Standoff And Shootout With Law Enforcement

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Zuni Pueblo man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following an armed standoff with law enforcement.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on July 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at a residence in Zuni, where Eric Bowannie, 28, barricaded himself inside his home and fired multiple rounds at responding Zuni Police Department officers.

During the incident, Bowannie charged an officer with an ax, retrieved a shotgun and a rifle, and repeatedly fired at officers positioned outside the residence. FBI agents Read More

FBI: Woman Pleads Guilty To Involuntary Manslaughter In Fatal Drunk Driving Incident On Navajo Nation

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Thoreau woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after driving while intoxicated and fatally striking John Doe with her vehicle following an altercation.

According to court records, on the morning of May 28, 2023, Nora Abeita, 50, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and several others, including the victim, John Doe, consumed alcohol together. After an altercation with John Doe, Abeita attempted to leave the residence with a friend. While driving away, Abeita struck John Doe with their vehicle. She did not immediately realize she had run Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Orders New Trial For Two Men In Fatal Shooting In Valencia County

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NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The state Supreme Court today vacated the convictions of two men convicted of murder and other offenses in a 2019 fatal shooting in Valencia County and ordered a new trial.

In a unanimous decision, the Court concluded that a district court wrongly excluded an eyewitness from being called to testify at trial, which deprived Jesus Garcia and Alexandro Montelongo-Murillo of their constitutional right to present a defense.

The eyewitness, Lorenzo Montaño, was a neighbor who saw the drive-by shooting and identified a man who was never charged in the crime as one of the assailants. Read More

Celebrate Law Day, Tour Municipal & Magistrate Court

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By The Honorable Elizabeth K. Allen, Municipal Judge,
The Honorable Catherine E. Taylor, Magistrate Judge

We are hosting an Open Court House 10-11 a.m., May 1 in celebration of Law Day 2025. This year’s theme is E Pluribus Unum, a thirteen-letter Latin phrase meaning “Out of many, one”. It is more than just a motto—it is a powerful expression of unity and identity in American history. Originally proposed for the Great Seal of the United States in 1776, the phrase reflects the founding fathers’ vision of a single nation formed from a collection of diverse states and peoples.

The thirteen American Read More

FBI: Taos Man Admits To Killing Up-And-Coming Native American Artist Deanna Autumn Leaf Suazo

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DeAnna Suazo with her artwork. Courtesy/David Gary Suazo

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Santiago Martinez has pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a talented Indigenous artist, following a late-night argument in November 2021.

According to court records, Nov. 12, 2021, Martinez and his girlfriend, Suazo, were at their shared home, where they consumed alcohol and listened to music in her vehicle. Early in the morning hours, the couple engaged in a heated argument outside their home about the future of their relationship, Read More

FBI: Farmington Couple Pleads Guilty Of Violent Assault

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Farmington man has pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, while his wife has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in connection with a violent assault in 2023.

According to court records, July 28, 2023, during an argument, Renauldo Sandoval, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, slammed Jane Doe into a wall and strangled her, causing her to fall to the ground. Lisa Sandoval, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, then pinned Jane Doe to the ground.

At sentencing, Renauldo and Lisa both face up to 10 years in prison followed by three years Read More

FBI: Arizona Man Charged With Federal Assault And Stolen Vehicle Transport After High-Speed New Mexico Pursuit

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — An Arizona man is facing federal charges for allegedly assaulting federal officers and transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines after a high-speed pursuit in New Mexico.

According to court documents, March 31, 2025, Christopher Jack Leach, 33, became aware of a warrant for his arrest in Arizona. He borrowed a friend’s vehicle under false pretenses, claiming he would drive it to another friend’s house in Arizona, but instead fled toward Florida with a passenger. The vehicle was reported stolen after the owner realized Leach’s deception.

On that date, Read More

State Supreme Court Reaffirms Commitment To Provide Language Services For People Who Don’t Speak English

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Supreme Court of New Mexico: Justice Julie J. Vargas (left), Justice Michael E. Vigil, Chief Justice David K. Thomson, Justice C. Shannon Bacon, and Justice Briana H. Zamora. Courtesy/Supreme Court

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court reaffirmed its commitment to providing access to language services for non-English speakers under New Mexico’s State Law and Constitution.

“The New Mexico Judiciary is committed to upholding our Constitution and the fundamental right to fairness, equality, and due process,” the Court wrote in an open letter to the public. “Without language Read More