A Pueblo Pintado man was sentenced to seven years in prison for fatally shooting another man following a night of heavy drinking and a physical fight, according to a May 6 announcement from federal authorities.
The sentencing underscores the serious consequences of violent crimes on tribal lands and the role of federal law enforcement in prosecuting such cases.
Court records show that on March 17, 2025, Thurman Curley, age 36 and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, shot and killed John Doe after they engaged in a physical altercation. Curley pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter as well as using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon completion of his prison term, Curley will be subject to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said he made the announcement along with Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from both the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
