Navajo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Involuntary Manslaughter Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of New Mexico
15 November 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALBUQUERQUE – Tracey Beaver, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Pinehill, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to involuntary manslaughter charges.

Beaver was arrested on Sept. 24, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with involuntary manslaughter. According to the complaint, Beaver killed two victims when he crashed his vehicle on Sept. 9, 2016, on the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation in Cibola County, N.M. At the time of the crash, Beaver was driving under the influence of alcohol.

During today’s proceedings, Beaver pled guilty to a felony information charging him with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. In entering the guilty plea, Beaver admitted killing the two victims by driving recklessly while under the influence of alcohol. Beaver acknowledged that the alcohol rendered him incapable of exercising clear judgment and a steady hand in operating the vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI, the New Mexico State Police and the Ramah Navajo Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall.