Zuni Pueblo Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Voluntary Manslaughter Charge

U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of New Mexico
9 August 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALBUQUERQUE – Bree Lynn Coonsis, 25, a member and resident of Zuni Pueblo, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a voluntary manslaughter charge. Coonsis entered the guilty plea under a plea agreement that recommends that she be sentenced to an eight-year term of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court

Coonsis was arrested on May 10, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging her with killing a woman on the Zuni Pueblo on April 29, 2017, in McKinley County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, Coonsis killed the victim by hitting the victim with her car while Coonsis was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

During today’s proceedings, Coonsis pled guilty to an information charging her with voluntary manslaughter. In entering the guilty plea, Coonsis admitted that on April 29, 2017, she killed the victim by striking the victim with a vehicle, while intending to cause the victim serious bodily injury. Coonsis remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease.