On a frigid winter morning, authorities found a Native American man dead on a remote gravel road in western New Mexico. He was lying on his side, with only one sock on, his clothes had come off, and his shoes had been thrown into the snow.
There were blood stains on both sides of his body, as if he had been hit on the head.
Investigators followed the man’s footsteps and collected security camera footage that showed him walking near a convenience store in Gallup, miles away. Gallup is a rural economic hub bordered by the Navajo Nation on one side and the Zuni Pueblo on the other.
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According to court records, video footage and cell phone records show the victim, a Navajo man identified only by his first name, John Doe, was “on the verge of a collision” with the man he would eventually be charged with killing. ” has been shown to be true.
A grand jury indicted a Zuni Pueblo man on second-degree murder charges in the Jan. 18 death, but prosecutors say Gallup is the main suspect in a series of crimes targeting Native men. , says further charges are likely. Zuni Island and Albuquerque. Investigators searched his car and two residences and found multiple wallets, cell phones and clothing belonging to other men.
As people gathered from across the country on Sunday to highlight the alarming number of disappearances and murders in Indian Country, officials said the New Mexico case was the subject of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Missing and Murdered Indians Assistance Program. He said it represented the type of work he was aiming for when he founded the program. last summer.
Dozens of people participate in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Day in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 5, 2024 to recognize the loss of her daughter Shawna Toya in 2021 Geraldine Toya (center) marching. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
A special team of assistant U.S. attorneys and coordinators is tasked with focusing on MMIP cases. Their goal is to improve communication and collaboration across federal, tribal, state, and local jurisdictions in hopes of bridging the gap that has made solving violent crime in Indian Country a generational challenge. is.
Some of the new federal prosecutors were participating in the MMIP Awareness Day event. Marches, symposiums, art exhibits and candlelight vigils from the Arizona State Capitol to the Cultural Center in Albuquerque to the Qualla, North Carolina border take place on May 5, the birthday of Hannah Harris, who was just 21 when she was murdered. was planned. 2013 on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation in northern Montana.
It was an emotional day in Albuquerque as family members and supporters took part in a prayer walk. They shouted, “What do we want? An answer! What do we want? Justice!” Tears were shed and long hugs were exchanged as they shared their stories and grievances. They talked about feeling forgotten and the lack of resources in Indigenous communities.
Geraldine Toya of Jemez Pueblo marched with other family members to bring awareness to the death of her daughter Shawna Toya in 2021. She and her husband are potters, and she said she never imagined they would be potters. It happened to their daughter.
“Our journey has been a rocky one, but we are going to make this journey successful for everyone who is here right now going through the same things we are struggling with,” she said. , families seeking justice while working through their grief, vowing to support others.
Alex Ubarez, the U.S. attorney for New Mexico, told The Associated Press on Friday that the assistance program is starting to pay off.
“It’s important to build bridges between these institutions to see patterns that affect the entire community,” Ubarez said. “None of the borders we draw will prevent impacts from spilling over into communities, across tribal communities, across states, across nations, across national borders.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Neal oversees MMIP cases in a region spanning New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.
When law enforcement and attorneys talk to each other, they can prevent other crimes that are often precursors to deadly violence. Other pieces of the puzzle are building relationships with Native American communities and making the justice system more accessible to the public, Neal said.
Part of Neil’s job includes reviewing old cases. This is a time-consuming task that involves tracking down witnesses and resubmitting evidence for testing.
“We’re trying to change the narrative a little bit and give these cases the time and attention they deserve,” he said, adding that communicating with families about this process is important for MMIP attorneys and coordinators. He added that it is an element.
In the past year, the Department of Justice has also awarded $268 million in grants to tribal justice systems to handle child abuse cases, combat domestic and sexual violence, and strengthen victim services. .
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bree Black Horse wore red as she was sworn in at a ceremony in Yakima, Washington, on Thursday. The color is synonymous with raising awareness that indigenous peoples are disproportionately victims of violence.
She prosecutes MMIP cases in a five-state region spanning California and the Pacific Northwest to Montana. Her caseload has reached double digits, and she is working with her advocacy group to identify more cold cases and open lines of communication with law enforcement.
Black Horse, a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a practicing attorney for more than 10 years, said having 10 assistant U.S. attorneys and coordinators dedicated solely to MMIP cases is unprecedented. .
“This is an issue that not only affects my community, but my friends and family,” she said. “I think this is a way to ensure that our future generations and young people don’t experience the same disparities and the same trauma.”
In New Mexico, Mr. Ubarez acknowledged that the federal government has been slow to move, and credited tribal communities with speaking out, consistently showing up at protests, and pressuring politicians to improve security for tribal communities. .
Still, he and Neal said a paradigm shift is needed to reverse the public perception that nothing is being done.
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Labar Tseslikai, the man charged in the New Mexico case, appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty while shackled next to his public defender. A victim advocate from Ubarez’s office was also there, sitting with the victim’s family.
Ms Tseslikai’s lawyer argued that no evidence had yet been presented linking her client to the alleged crimes detailed in court documents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley pointed to cell phone data and DNA evidence that showed Tsetlikai allegedly preyed on homeless people and those in need of alcohol to satisfy his sexual needs, and said any conditions of release would require community support. They argued that they could not be kept safe.
Mr. Tsetlikai will remain in custody pending trial as authorities continue their investigation. Court documents list at least 10 other victims, along with five newly identified potential victims. McGinley said prosecutors want to focus on a few cases to “get him off the street” and prevent further violence.
