A man from Cubero, New Mexico, has been charged in federal court following a fatal shooting that occurred during a confrontation at a cemetery on January 1, 2026. According to court records, Donald Thompson, age 49 and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, is accused of shooting and killing another member of the Laguna Pueblo during the incident within the Pueblo of Laguna in Cubero.
Law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting and found the victim deceased at the scene with gunshot wounds to the chest and back. Witnesses stated that Thompson was armed with a rifle and fired one shot during the confrontation. Thompson later admitted to law enforcement that he shot the victim, claiming he believed he was acting in self-defense.
Thompson faces charges of second degree murder and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He has been released under certain conditions while awaiting trial; no trial date has been set. If convicted, Thompson could face up to life imprisonment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said: "A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law." The announcement was made jointly by Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting.
