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Press Release

Mexican Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder

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

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Timothy Chischilly pleaded guilty in federal court to second degree murder. Chischilly, 53, of Mexican Springs, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

Chischilly and his co-defendant, Stacey Yellowhorse, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 11, 2020. According to publicly available court documents, Chischilly and Yellowhorse, his then girlfriend, invited Jane Doe to sleep over at Chilschilly’s house within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation on the night of Jan. 23, 2020. During the night, Chischilly and Yellowhorse killed Jane Doe by nailing her to the floor, hammering a nail into her head, and bludgeoning her to death. Afterwards, Chischilly and Yellowhorse burned Jane Doe’s body and spread the remains at different locations.

Chischilly confessed to the murder to his family days later.

At sentencing, Chischilly faces up to life in prison.

Yellowhorse remains in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for March 25, 2024.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Gallup Police Department.   Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall are prosecuting the case.

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24-62

Updated February 7, 2024

Topic
Indian Country Law and Justice
Press Release Number: 24-62