U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing for 2021 Murder in Church Rock

ALBUQUERQUE – A Smith Lake man was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for the 2021 murder of a man in Church Rock, New Mexico.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on May 17, 2021, Josiah Alan Smith, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, arrived at a residence in Church Rock, New Mexico, armed with a rifle. Smith made threats against John Doe before briefly leaving the premises. Smith then returned with a revolver and fired two shots through a bedroom window, striking Doe in the back. The bullet pierced Doe's heart and both lungs, resulting in his death despite lifesaving attempts by a witness.

Following the shooting, Smith fled the scene and attempted to conceal evidence by disposing of the murder weapon. Smith was arrested approximately three months after the incident.

Upon his release from prison, Smith will be subject to five years of supervised release.

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 assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Blake Nichols is prosecuting the case.

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