Zachariah Nez, Voluntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2016
Zachariah Nez, 19, Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - Zachariah Nez, 19, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., has pleaded guilty to a voluntary manslaughter charge in a federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The plea agreement recommends a prison sentence within the range of six to 11 years followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
According to the complaint, Nez killed a Navajo man on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, New Mexico, on October 17, 2016, by striking him with a rock.
Nez was arrested in October 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with killing a Navajo man, and was indicted on November 1, 2016, and charged with second-degree murder in San Juan County.
During today's proceedings, Nez pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with voluntary manslaughter, admitting that he killed the victim by striking him several times with a rock.
Nez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Spindle.
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant's full name: Zachariah Nez
2. Exact criminal charges: Voluntary Manslaughter
3. City and state: Albuquerque, New Mexico
4. EXACT DATE with month/day/year: October 17, 2016
5. Sentence or outcome: Prison sentence within the range of six to 11 years followed by a term of supervised release
6. Dollar amounts: None
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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