A Dulce man pleaded guilty on Mar. 19 to second degree murder after admitting to shooting and killing another man in June 2024, according to federal authorities.
The case concerns a violent incident that took place within the Jicarilla Apache Nation, raising issues of public safety and justice for tribal communities.
Court documents state that Damian Amarillo, age 21 and a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, shot and killed John Doe in a neighborhood in Dulce, New Mexico. The shooting occurred after an earlier confrontation at Amarillo’s residence. After John Doe left the residence, Amarillo chased him through the neighborhood, assaulted him, and then shot him. Witnesses reported seeing several individuals fleeing after gunshots were heard. John Doe died from his injuries at the scene.
Amarillo remains in custody pending sentencing and faces up to life in prison for his plea to second degree murder.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the plea agreement. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting.
