A Taos Pueblo man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the killing of DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, an Indigenous artist from Taos Pueblo. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office.
According to court records, Santiago Martinez, 33, killed Suazo during a domestic-violence incident outside their shared home on November 13, 2021. The two had been listening to music when Suazo expressed her wish to end their relationship, something she had reportedly stated before. An argument followed and escalated into physical violence; Martinez ripped out one of Suazo’s earrings and pushed her out of her car. He then entered the driver’s seat of her SUV and intentionally ran her over. Instead of contacting authorities after the incident, Martinez called his family, which reduced any chance that Suazo could have survived. She died from mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma caused by being run over.
Martinez later admitted that he was aware of his actions despite having consumed alcohol.
DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo was recognized for her art celebrating Indigenous identity and resilience. Her work was shown nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. In 2022, the Institute of American Indian Arts created a memorial fund in her name to support Indigenous women artists.
On March 28, 2025, Martinez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. After serving his sentence, he will be under supervised release for three years.
The case was investigated by the Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with help from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary C. Jones and Nora Wilson prosecuted the case.
"There is no parole in the federal system."
