Alexander M.M. Uballez U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
A man from To’Hajiilee has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for voluntary manslaughter related to the death of John Doe in May 2022. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the sentencing, emphasizing that there is no parole in the federal system.
Court documents reveal that on May 27, 2022, Cole Ray Shorty, a 21-year-old member of the Navajo Nation, went to John Doe's residence with others, including a juvenile. Upon arrival, Shorty found Doe sitting in his car outside his home. Shorty approached and opened the back door of Doe's car, prompting Doe to exit with a bat in hand. A struggle followed where Doe was disarmed and taken down. Despite this, Shorty used the bat to strike Doe on the head.
John Doe succumbed to his injuries at the University of New Mexico Hospital on May 30, 2022. The Medical Inspector confirmed blunt head trauma as the cause of death and ruled it a homicide.
After serving his sentence, Shorty will undergo three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office made this announcement jointly. The investigation was carried out by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with support from both the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee, Zachary Jones, Mark Probasco, and Meg Tomlinson.
