U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Five-Count Indictment in Violent Crime Spree on Navajo Nation

ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Rydell Happy for his alleged involvement in a violent crime spree on April 24, 2024. 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.

According to court documents, on April 24, 2024, Happy, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, 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.

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.

Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

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.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.