⏱ 2 min read
Thurman Curley, a 36-year-old enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, fatally shot another man after a night of heavy drinking and a physical altercation in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, on March 17, 2025. The shooting occurred after the two men got into a fight, and Curley pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm during the crime. Curley was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the deadly incident. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations.
The incident highlights the dangers of mixing heavy drinking and violence, which can have devastating consequences. In this case, the combination of the two resulted in the loss of a life and a lengthy prison sentence for Curley. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies worked together to bring Curley to justice and ensure that he was held accountable for his actions.
Curley will serve his seven-year sentence without the possibility of parole, and upon his release, he will be subject to five years of supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon, and the announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: New Mexico
- Location: NM
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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