RAMAH, NM – Pinehill man Ellery Brent Yazzie is being charged with murder after being discovered lying with a gunshot wound to his head next to two other deceased men.
Yazzie, a 36-year-old enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court on January 24 to face charges of murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, according to a criminal complaint filed by the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office.
The incident in question occurred on the morning of December 22, 2023, when the Ramah Navajo Police Department received an emergency call reporting a shooting at a residence in Pinehill, New Mexico. According to the complaint, Yazzie allegedly shot his father, sister, and brother following a verbal argument.
Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement officers discovered two deceased male victims, lying close to, officers found Yazzie alive with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the federal indictment charging Yazzie with these crimes. One of the witnesses had attempted to transport the third victim to the hospital but encountered an ambulance en route, which ultimately transported the victim to Zuni Hospital.
According to the indictment, responding agencies found a 9-milimeter handgun at the scene.
Physicians at Zuni Hospital informed a special agent from the FBI that the victim had sustained lifethreatening injuries and would have died without timely medical care, attributing that victim’s survival to witnesses on scene. All the victims were enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
Yazzie is currently in custody and awaiting trial, with no trial date scheduled as of yet. If convicted on the charges filed against him, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office conducted the investigation into this case, with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. The prosecution will be handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Jena Ritchey.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.