A violent crime spree on the Navajo Nation has resulted in a five-count indictment against Rydell Happy, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
According to court documents, on April 24, 2024, Happy allegedly shot John Doe in the head with a revolver and then repeatedly beat his head with a baseball bat, resulting in Doe’s death.
The indictment further alleges that on the same day, Happy assaulted Jane Doe with a revolver and discharged the firearm during the incident.
The indictment further alleges that Happy, who was previously convicted of domestic violence, is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Happy, who was already in custody awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge, now faces charges for first degree murder, two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
If convicted of the current charges, Happy faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the first-degree murder charge, and 10 to 15 years for the other charges.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.
Related Federal Cases
- Gilbert John, Jr., Kidnapping and Murder, New Mexico 2019 · Puerto Rico
- Patrick Yazzie-Tso, Violent Assault, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
- Darrel Salazar, Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, New Mexico 2016 · New Mexico
- Terrence Shije, Violent Domestic Assault, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
- Demetrius Antonnie Bailey, Armed Robbery Spree, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
