Kirby Cleveland, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation from Prewitt, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with murder.
The crime occurred on the night of March 11, 2017, when Cleveland allegedly shot a Navajo Nation tribal police officer who was responding to a domestic violence call.
The victim officer died on March 12, 2017, as the result of the gunshot injuries he sustained.
Cleveland was arrested on tribal charges on March 12, 2017, by the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, and he remained in tribal custody until March 20, 2017, when the tribal charges against him were dismissed.
The FBI arrested Cleveland on the criminal complaint immediately after the dismissal of the tribal charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Novaline D. Wilson and Niki Tapia-Brito are prosecuting the case.
Cleveland faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted on the murder charge.
The Gallup and Albuquerque offices of the FBI and the Crownpoint, Shiprock and Chinle offices of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety are investigating this case, with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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