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Press Release

Beclabito, N.M., Woman Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder Charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Krisohn Adakai, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Beclabito, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning to a second degree murder charge under an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, Adakai will be sentenced to 11 years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Adakai was arrested in July 2012, and charged by criminal complaint with the murder of Crystal Tom, a 26 year-old Navajo woman.  According to the criminal complaint, the murder occurred on July 28, 2012, at Adakai’s home in Beclabito, which is located on the Navajo Reservation.   Adakai and the victim got into a fight while drinking alcohol together.  During the fight, Adakai repeatedly punched and stabbed the victim, who died as a result of the injuries she sustained.  Adakai then fell asleep and awoke to find the victim’s unresponsive body.  Adakai attempted to conceal her crime by disposing of the body, the alcohol bottles and other evidence of the murder in a remote area on the Navajo Indian Reservation.  When confronted by law enforcement authorities on July 30, 2012, Adakai admitted committing the murder and led officers to the victim’s body and other evidence.

During today’s plea hearing, Adakai admitted that the United States would be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she murdered a Navajo woman on July 28, 2013, in San Juan County, within the Navajo Indian Reservation.

This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez.

Updated January 26, 2015