Tracey Beaver, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2016

Tracey Beaver, 38, a member of the Navajo Nation from Pinehill, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter tied to a drunken driving crash that left two people dead on the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation.

The crash occurred on Sept. 9, 2016, when Beaver, driving under the influence of alcohol, lost control of his vehicle on reservation roads in Cibola County. The impact killed both occupants of the vehicle instantly. Authorities said Beaver’s blood alcohol level indicated severe impairment, rendering him incapable of safe operation of a motor vehicle.

Beaver was arrested weeks later, on Sept. 24, 2016, after a criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. The complaint charged him with causing deaths through reckless conduct while intoxicated — a felony under federal jurisdiction due to the crime occurring on tribal lands.

During his plea hearing, Beaver admitted to driving recklessly while under the influence, confirming that alcohol had destroyed his judgment and motor control. He offered no defense, acknowledging full responsibility for the decisions that led to the fatal crash.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Gallup office, alongside the New Mexico State Police and the Ramah Navajo Police Department. The agencies worked in tandem to piece together evidence from the crash scene, toxicology reports, and witness statements to build the federal case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall prosecuted the case. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date, where Beaver faces up to 10 years in prison on each count — a maximum of 20 years for the two victims whose lives were cut short by a preventable act of drunken recklessness.

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