GRANTS, N.M. — More than fifteen years after the shooting death of legendary Indian cowboy Clyde “Sonny Jim” James outside San Rafael, the man accused of killing him is finally set to stand trial.
Danny Stanfield, now in his 70s, has been deemed competent to face a Cibola County jury following years of psychiatric evaluation, commitment to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute, and repeated continuances stretching back to 2010.
The case — one of the longestrunning homicide prosecutions in the 13th Judicial District — traces back to October 23, 2009, when James and rancher Wayne Johnson were shot and killed outside of San Mateo, N.M. allegedly by Stanfield.
The Life of Sonny Jim By the time hundreds gathered in Gallup’s Red Rock State Park on October 29, 2009, to honor Sonny Jim, his legend had already taken root across the West.
Born Clyde Shacknasty James in Oregon in 1940, he was Modoc and Klamath, a cowboy, rodeo competitor, musician, and storyteller who seemed to embody the old frontier spirit. In his youth, Sonny Jim moved with his family to Taos, learning to rope and ride alongside his half-brother Woody Crumbo Jr. under the mentorship of the Western artist and novelist Max Evans.
Over the years he became a fixture on the Indian rodeo circuit, known for his charm, his horsemanship, and a trademark cigar that rarely left his hand. To the Navajo, among whom he lived for many years, he was a beloved in-law — respected as much for his kindness as his skill.
Those who knew him said he was a healer, a friend to many, and a man whose life was guided by generosity. But on October 23, 2009, Sonny Jim’s life ended violently at age 68.
Authorities said that day, Sonny Jim and 75-yearold rancher Wayne Johnson visited Johnson’s property near San Rafael to tell a drifter, Danny Stanfield, that it was time to move his bus off the land. A confrontation followed. When deputies arrived minutes later, both men were dead from gunshot wounds. Stanfield surrendered at the scene and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of witness intimidation.
A Case Stalled by Competency Battles
What followed became one of the longest-running homicide cases in Cibola County history.
Court records show that Stanfield was indicted in November 2009.
Over the next several years, progress was repeatedly delayed by questions about his mental competency to stand trial.
Between 2010 and 2013, the court held multiple hearings to determine whether Stanfield could understand the proceedings and assist in his own defense. He was eventually found incompetent and committed to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute (NMBHI) in Las Vegas for treatment.
From 2013 through 2019, judges issued periodic recommitment orders after continued findings of incompetence. Each order came with the hope that further treatment might restore his capacity to face trial.
From 2019 to 2025, the case remained under periodic review — each time revisiting medical reports, expert evaluations, and the defendant’s progress. Finally, in March 2025, Judge Amanda Sanchez Villalobos signed an Order Finding Defendant Competent, paving the way for the case to move forward for the first time in sixteen years.
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Jessica Martinez, the process followed the strict legal standards that govern defendants found incompetent and dangerous. “During competency commitments, defendants undergo professional treatment to attain the capacities to be competent under the legal standards,” Martinez explained. “Doctors write reports that are submitted to the court and counsel, and then the court hears arguments.”
Because those reports are sealed under state law, the District Attorney’s Office cannot disclose the expert findings or treatment details that led to the court’s ruling. “All of the proceedings related to competency are subject to court rules of nondisclosure,” Martinez said.
The October 20 Pretrial Hearing
This week, the longstalled case returned to open court. A pretrial conference was held October 20 before Judge Villalobos at the Cibola County Courthouse in Grants.
Martinez said prosecutors updated the court on their progress toward trial, including work to locate witnesses, many of whom have long since moved or entered new careers. The office also coordinated with the Office of the Medical Investigator to ensure autopsy experts are available to testify on the causes of death.
“We requested a 60-day continuance of jury trial, in order to locate all necessary witnesses and secure the attendance of the laboratory witnesses,” Martinez said. “The defense objected, but the Court granted it. The Court indicated it would contact the attorneys with proposed dates and will then set a firm trial setting.”
The District Attorney’s Office has requested five days for trial. The defendant, Martinez confirmed, “remains in custody and we will prepare for the firm trial setting.”
“A Complex Objective”
After nearly sixteen years, Martinez said preparing for trial is no simple task.
“These murders occurred on October 23, almost 16 years ago,” she said. “We have been diligently working to locate all necessary witnesses, to make them available for trial. We’ve worked with our experts to have current experts. We’ve met with Sonny Jim’s family and continue to do so. Our goal is to pursue justice by presenting this case to a jury and obtaining convictions.”
The statement underscores the enormous burden time places on any prosecution: witnesses disperse, records grow older, and the emotional toll deepens. Yet for Sonny Jim’s family and friends, who once led his horse in a solemn circle at Red Rock State Park to mark his final ride, the wait may soon be nearing an end.
To those who knew him, Clyde “Sonny Jim” James was more than a name in a court file. He was a man who lived fully — an artist, athlete, and healer whose generosity transcended cultural lines.
The Modoc believe that when a person dies, their spirit journeys west of the mountains.
If that’s true, Sonny Jim’s spirit may still be riding somewhere beyond the horizon — watching, perhaps, as a long-awaited chapter of justice finally begins to turn in Cibola County.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on verified court records from the New Mexico Case Lookup system and official statements from the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Certain records related to competency remain sealed under New Mexico law.