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Santiago Martinez, 36, Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter
A Taos man has admitted to killing his girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a talented Native American artist, after a late-night argument in November 2021.
Santiago Martinez, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend, who was a Diné artist from Taos Pueblo.
According to court records, the couple had consumed alcohol and listened to music in her vehicle on November 12, 2021, when they engaged in a heated argument outside their home about the future of their relationship.
The argument escalated into a physical altercation, leading to Martinez intentionally running over Suazo with her SUV, resulting in her death due to mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma.
Despite consuming alcohol, Martinez acknowledged being aware of his actions and their wrongfulness at the time of the incident.
Suazo, a daughter of Native American artists Geraldine Tso and David Gary Suazo, was a celebrated artist who blended traditional and contemporary styles with inspiration from Japanese manga.
Her work was exhibited nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery. In 2022, IAIA established the DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo Memorial Fund for Indigenous female artists in the MFA in Studio Arts Program.
At sentencing, Martinez faces between 10 and 15 years in prison followed by not less than three years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Jones and Nora Wilson are prosecuting the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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