U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Murder Plea in 2020 Case

ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty in federal court to second degree murder for his role in the brutal killing of a man on the Navajo Nation in 2020.

According to court documents, between February 6, 2020, and February 14, 2020, Tyran Begay, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, participated in the killing of John Doe within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation by binding and beating the victim, assisting in his strangulation, and leaving his body exposed to frigid weather in a remote area near Smith Lake, NM.

Begay will remain detained pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Begay faces a range of incarceration of no less than 19 years up to 30 years imprisonment. Upon his release from prison, Begay will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.

Begay’s co-defendants, Camille Damon and Ronald Belone, remain in custody pending trial, which has yet been set.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.

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