A Zuni woman has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for her role in a 2019 kidnapping that led to the victim's death. Kendra Panteah, aged 37 and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, was involved in confining John Doe in the trunk of his own vehicle from July 1 to July 16, 2019.

According to court documents, Panteah transported the vehicle with John Doe inside to her co-defendant, Gilbert John Jr., and drove around the Navajo Nation for over a day with the victim locked in the trunk. The pair eventually stopped near Bass Lake, New Mexico. When John Doe attempted to escape, John Jr. fatally stabbed him with a machete.

Following the murder, Panteah and John Jr. abandoned the vehicle with John Doe's body inside for several days. Later, John Jr. moved the vehicle to a remote location where he set it on fire using gasoline in an attempt to destroy evidence. Identification of the victim was possible only through hip replacement devices found within the burned vehicle.

Gilbert John Jr. admitted guilt to second-degree murder and received a sentence of 21 years in prison as of June 2024.

Upon completing her prison term, Kendra Panteah will undergo five years of supervised release.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with support from both the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Alexander F. Flores were responsible for prosecuting this case.