Gallup officer foils suspects
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A Gallup police officer used wit and detection skills
Saturday morning to catch two suspected burglars red-handed.
Officer Owen Pena was patrolling around 8:40 a.m. on West Maloney
Avenue near the North Ninth Street intersection, according to
his report, when he noticed two men taking items out of a pickup
truck, parked behind Cowboy's Saloon.
The men carried various tools out of the truck.
Pena turned onto Ninth Street and drove up to the two men. As
they watched the officer's approach, both men ran behind the 800
block of West Wilson Avenue, with Pena in pursuit in his patrol
car.
Pena stopped a man carrying a brown tool belt. The man, Billy
Nez Jr., 45, of 2414 Baca Ct. in Gallup, appeared to Pena to be
intoxicated and admitted to drinking several beers.
Pena detained Nez and went after the other man, who was on the
railroad tracks, carrying a power saw.
Identified as Gary Begay, 56, of Mexican Springs, this man also
appeared to be intoxicated and admitted that he had had several
beers.
At first, both men said the tools were theirs and that the vehicle
belonged to Nez's brother. Pena asked Nez several times who his
brother was and where he could be found.
Finally, Nez said, "I took these items out of that truck.
These items are not mine, an I do not know whose truck that is,"
the police report quoted Nez as saying.
Begay also admitted to taking the tools and not knowing who owns
the truck.
Pena arrested the men and charged them with burglary, larceny,
and conspiracy according to the report..
Meanwhile, police confiscated 18 tools from the men, including
saws, extension cords, tool belts, a utility knife, a chisel,
an unknown amount of nails and screws of various sizes, and some
nail gun nails.
The total value of the items is unknown.
Police took the pickup to the Gallup Police station where the
registered owner, Gilbert Arviso, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., was
contacted. Arviso said he left his truck at Cowboys Friday night
because he was too drunk to drive.
Arviso said he didn't remember if he locked the vehicle. He identified
all the tool items as his.
The man said he didn't know Nez or Begay and they had no permission
to go through his truck.
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Yazzie has extradition hearing for murder
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Suspected murderer Rocky Yazzie of Chinle, Ariz., will
face an extradition hearing today in South Dakota for the murder of
a Gallup woman.
Yazzie, 25, who is fighting extradition to New Mexico, is scheduled
toface the hearing at 1:30 today in front of a Rapid City, S.D., judge,
said District Attorney Karl Gillson.
"This office awaits the decision," Gillson said.
Once a suspect crosses state lines, an extradition hearing determines
whether that person can be brought to the state in which he is charged,
to face trial. Suspects can waive such a hearing and be transported
to the other state immediately, or they can fight it, as Yazzie chose
to do.
Yazzie is a relative of Lola Yazzie, who was found dead, stuffed under
her bed Aug. 23 at 804 Alto St. in Red Hills Mobile Home Park. Various
details pointed to Yazzie as a suspect, in a joint investigation between
Gallup police and the Rapid City Police Department.
Lola Yazzie had been dead about two weeks before a co-worker and friend
entered her trailer, realized something was wrong and called the police,
according to Gallup Police Lt. John Allen. The Office of the Medical
Investigator in Albuquerque determined through an autopsy that she
died of strangulation.
Lola Yazzie had been hanging around Rocky Yazzie a few weeks before
her death, and introduced him to friends as her nephew. After her
disappearance, her vehicle was found parked in Chinle, Ariz., and
neighbors there said they had seen Rocky
Yazzie drive the vehicle.
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo Bank tracked Rocky Yazzie to Rapid City because
he used one of Lola Yazzie's bank cards there, police said.
Rapid City Police Lt. Steve Allender said Rocky Yazzie, who also has
an identification card with an address is South Dakota, had recently
got out of prison in South Dakota after a conviction for burglary.
Allender said Rapid City Police had several run-ins with Rocky Yazzie
the week before they learned he was wanted in Gallup.
Allender's team arrested Rocky Yazzie at the home of an acquaintance.
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Clark dies ... quietly
Barry Massey
Associated Press Writer
EDITOR'S NOTE — Associated Press Writer Barry Massey was one
of two reporters who witnessed Terry Clark's execution. Here is what
he saw.
SANTA FE (AP) — In his final seconds, Terry Clark grimaced and
closed his eyes as a deadly mix of drugs surged through his body.
Clark expelled a breath with a low gasp, gurgled and his breathing
ceased. His struggle against death lasted about a minute.
Then all was quiet and still. Clark's eyes were shut and his mouth
closed.
At 7:01 p.m.,
witnesses first glimpsed Clark as drab white vinyl vertical blinds
were opened.
A white sheet was pulled tightly over his body, tucked neatly at the
sides and up to his chest. The sheet hid the straps that held Clark
to a steel gurney. Only his arms were exposed, intravenous lines inserted
at the bend of each elbow. Padded straps secured Clark's wrists.
Clark's head was on a pillow, tilted to his right; his eyes blinking
rapidly but locked on Penitentiary of New Mexico Warden Tim LeMaster.
His head never moved. His eyes never shifted to the three windows
through which he could have seen the witnesses standing in two dimly
lit rooms.
The 21 witnesses for the state, including Corrections Department officials
and two reporters, stood shoulder-to-shoulder in one room. Clark's
girlfriend, a lawyer who once handled his case and another woman invited
by Clark were in a separate witness room.
LeMaster stood to one side, even with the prisoner's head. Clark's
minister was one pace away from the warden, staring at Clark's face.
The minister, wearing a plaid shirt and dark pants, never touched
Clark.
Almost immediately, LeMaster began reading from the warrant of execution,
reciting Clark's conviction of murder of 9-year-old Dena Lynn Gore
of Artesia.
LeMaster asked for a final statement.
"Fifteen minutes," Clark muttered. He never spoke again.
Clark offered no apologies to Colleen and Jeff Gore, the parents of
the child. Jeff Gore stood quietly behind his ex-wife, his left arm
wrapped around her shoulder.
Clark remained motionless.
Time seemed to stand still for a few moments.
Clark swallowed hard. His cheeks puffed as he expelled a breath.
Clark pinched his face together, grimacing as if he felt the drugs
taking control and shutting down his body.
The time: 7:04 p.m.
His hands never moved, his fingers remained relaxed. Clark's cheeks
slightly sallowed.
Six minutes passed before LeMaster walked in front of the witness
windows and summoned a physician, who pronounced Clark dead at 7:10
p.m.
The curtains were drawn, and witnesses filed outside into the cool
night air.
A few steps beyond the doorway of the cinder block execution building,
Colleen Gore stood hugging another witness, Donita Welch of Roswell,
who was raped by Clark at age 6. Clark was out on bond in that case
when he killed the Gores' daughter.
The two women cried as they clutched tightly and other witnesses passed
by down a fenced walkway toward the penitentiary's administration
building.
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DiPaolo praises students, teams
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Assistant to the Superintendent Angelo DiPaolo said
several students and local Gallup-McKinley County sports teams have
taken great strides recently.
DiPaolo praised the students at Monday's school board meeting in front
of school administrators and school board members.
He pointed out that the Gallup High Girls Cross Country Team won a
state championship recently.
Felicia Guliford, a senior, won first place in individual time for
the fourth time. "She's a dandy," DiPaolo said.
Five other girls ranked in the top 10 in the state in their times
in individual placings.
The team beat El Dorado High School in Albuquerque.
"They've been battling with them all year," DiPaolo said.
In a close defeat for the boys Cross Country team, Gallup High boys
were defeated by Monzano High School in Albuquerque
52-55. Student C.R. Davis took sixth place in the state, a good score,
but he was hoping for second place, DiPaolo said.
It was a heart-breaking day for the boys, DiPaolo said, but praised
them for the fight and for Davis getting in the top 10.
Runner Gerald Platero of Crownpoint High placed seventh in the boys'
top 10 in the AAA Boys Cross Country.
Ramah High six-person football team beat Floyd High School by 88-48.
The Ramah team will play the state championship against Lake Arthur
Saturday at 1 p.m. in Ramah. This is the last year for the six-person
football team for Ramah, as the school has grown and now will compete
in regular football next year, he said.
"They're going out in style," DiPaolo told board members.
Ramah High girls volleyball won a state Class A championship against
Animas High School from southern New Mexico at West Mesa High School
in Albuquerque.
Also at the meeting, Public Affairs Liaison Debra Castro introduced
two "neat people" awards, for people within the district
or outside who have contributed to making the district a better one.
One award went out to Jackson Gibson, the Smith Lake Chapter House
community liaison.
Any school, parent or staff member can nominate these people who have
helped the district in a variety of ways, DiPaolo said.
A second "neat people" award went to Colin Tanner of T&R
Market, who is a school business Partner in Education with Chee Dodge
Elementary School and is also a long-term member of the federal parent
advisory team.
Gibson and Tanner weren't available to receive awards or comment.
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Skull ID'd as area man
SHIPROCK, N.M. (AP) — Shiprock investigators have identified
a human skull found last week in San Juan County as that of a 39-year-old
Crownpoint man.
Steven Etsitty's relatives were unable to tell investigators the last
time they had seen him alive, Lt. Douglas Joe said. His remains were
found Oct. 29 by a woman who was tending sheep about 13 miles southeast
of Burnham.
Investigators found some additional bones and clothing when they went
back to the site the following day, Joe said.
The Office of Medical Investigator in Albuquerque was able to identify
the skull through dental records and a riveted-metal plate on an arm
bone...
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Thriftway OKs a full gas cleanup
By Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
TUBA CITY, Ariz. — Thriftway of Tuba City, located at the Highway
264/160 junction, has already spent $2 million toward cleaning up
an underground plume of gasoline caused by long-removed Leaking Underground
Storage Tanks (LUSTs), and is committed to cleaning up a nearby Superfuels
site as well.
The assurances came from a half-dozen Thriftway representatives from
Farmington who attended a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
sponsored hearing Tuesday night at the Tuba City Chapter House.
It was a hard sell to Navajos who say they just want the sites cleaned
up — even if it means shutting the station down. The packed house
left the meeting on a positive note, with nearly all in attendance
thanking the EPA, Navajo EPA and Thriftway for their commitment to
cleanup.
Thriftway recently took over the Superfuels site lease, long held
by John Knight, who previously operated his gas business under the
name Sunshine Western...
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Gallup trial for rape postponed
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A Gallup man's trial on charges he raped his ex-girlfriend
in June has been postponed because his attorney is in the hospital.
Aragon is the attorney for Lawrence Chavez, 41, of D & S Trailer
Park in Gallup. Chavez was scheduled for trial Tuesday regarding
charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping, criminal
sexual penetration, and breaking and entering for a District Court
trial.
District Attorney Karl Gillson said Monday that the trial would
be postponed until Aragon recovers.
A woman told McKinley County Sheriff's deputies in June that Chavez,
her ex-boyfriend, removed a bedroom window screen one night and
entered her bedroom in the trailer they used to share at D &
S Trailer Park, according to court records. He pinned her down and
said, "I better not lose my job or my truck. I know where you
work," records show...
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Ariz. backs rail system
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Voters approved a measure Tuesday directing
the City Council to increase the sales tax by a half-cent to pay
for a light rail system and other transportation improvements.
The plan would have Glendale paying half of Phoenix's costs to extend
the planned rail system three miles from a mall in Phoenix to the
Glendale boundary.
Glendale would then build two more miles to its downtown.
Phoenix has committed $43 million a mile to the system and costs
could run even higher. Phoenix and Glendale are counting on federal
grants to pay for much of the costs...
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Hospital rebuffs rent raise
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer
GALLUP — The local hospital board Tuesday officially rejected
the request by the McKinley County Commission to raise its rent
from $1 to $500,000 a year.
But the board for the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital did agree
to keep the lines of communication open despite statements from
Commissioner Harry Mendoza that indicated that the one way to resolve
the problems between the two bodies was to have the board just buy
the hospital building from the county.
"I have heard comments that you don't want to deal with the
commission," Mendoza said to hospital board members at the
meeting of the board Tuesday, "but we don't want to deal with
you either."
The commission's feelings about the board was made evident a month
ago when it voted to increase its annual rental fee after the board
rejected it's newest nominee to the board, Dave Dallago Jr...
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Rehoboth head mum on incident
Staff Report
GALLUP — The Rehoboth Christian School superintendent did not
want to comment Tuesday about disciplinary actions taken against
a 15-year-old who a teacher accused of threatening him last week.
Superintendent Ron Donkersloot declined comment on the case of Jason
Montoya, 15, of Defiance, Ariz. Montoya's name appeared Friday in
a McKinley County Sheriff's Department report as being suspect in
an assault on a school official, a felony.
Montoya was not arrested in connection with the incident.
On Wednesday, teacher Dirk Hollebeek reported to deputies that students
told Hollebeek that Montoya "told them that...he was going
to get some guns and some bodies and 'mess (Hollebeek) up,'"
according to the sheriff's report...
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Deaths
Ernest Eddie Johnson Sr.
BLACKWATER — Services for Ernest Johnson Sr., 48, will be held
at 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 8 at Prewitt Assembly of
God. Pastor Pauline Platero will officiate. Burial will follow at
Grants Memorial Park.
Johnson died Nov. 2 in Blackwater. He was born Nov. 5, 1952 in Prewitt
into the Meadow People Clan for the Hairy Ones
Clan.
Survivors include his daughter, Pearlie Johnson of Grants; brothers,
Herbert Johnson of Tenn. and Wilfred Johnson of
Prewitt; sisters, Benita Delgarito of South Chavez, Ella Cooke and
Harlinda Delgarito both of Blackwater and two
grandchildren.
Johnson was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Rena Johnson;
daughter, Rachel Johnson and brother, Johnny
Johnson.
Pallbearers will be Fred Barney, Kirby Cooke, Rydell Jake, Sampson
Jake, Gilbert Johnson and Bennie Loretto.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Eldrad Holyan
PHOENIX — Services for Eldrad Holyan, 41, will be held at 10
a.m., Thursday, Nov. 8 at St. Marys Catholic Church,
Tohatchi. Rev. John Mittelstadt will officiate. Burial will follow
at Tohatchi Community Cemetery.
Holyan died Nov. 4 in Mesa, Ariz. He was born Sept. 26, 1960 in Fort
Defiance, Ariz. into the Red Running Into the Water
People Clan for the Zia Clan.
Survivors include his brothers, Alvin Holyan and Bobby Holyan Jr.
both of Tohatchi and sisters, Raelene Holyan of Yah Ta
Hey; Roberta Begay of Tohatchi; Marlo Deal of Crownpoint and Marty
Whitehair of Jamestown.
Holyan was preceded in death by his parents, Bobby and Ida Holyan;
grandparents, Nanabah and Charlie Holyan, Alchedesbah and John Malone
and.
Pallbearers will be Christopher Bitsilly, Arvis Francisco, Alvin Holyan,
Bobby Holyan Jr., Michael Holyan and Roy Holyan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Valerie Jean Dabbs
MARIANO LAKE — Services for Valerie Dabbs, 23, will be held at
10 a.m., Nov. 8 at Cope Memorial Chapel. Jones Dehiya
will officiate. Burial will follow at Gallup City Cemetery.
Dabbs died Nov. 3 in Navajo, Ariz. She was born Feb. 2, 1978 in Gallup
into the Meadow People Clan for the Edgewater
People Clan.
Dabbs graduated from Thoreau High School. She was self-employed as
a silversmith. Her hobbies included traveling,
collecting stuffed animals, cooking and listening to music.
Survivors include her father, Julius Sr.; brothers, Patrick Dabbs,
Julius Dabbs and Darwin Dabbs all of Mariano Lake;
grandparents, Henry and Louise Dabbs.
Dabbs was preceded in death by his mother, Laura Dabbs; brother, Darrell
Dabbs; and grandparents, Mary Davis and Dan
Thompson.
Pallbearers will be Julius Dabbs Sr., Patrick Dabbs, Harold Thompson,
Damon Thompson, Andy Thompson and Dennis
Thompson.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Mariano Lake Chapter House.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Laura T. Dabbs
MARIANO LAKE — Services for Laura Dabbs, 55 will be held at 10
a.m., Thursday, Nov. 8 at Cope Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow
at Gallup City Cemetery.
Dabbs died Nov. 3 in Navajo, Ariz. She was born Nov. 19, 1946 in Rehoboth
into the Meadow People Clan for the Start of Red Streak People Clan.
Dabbs was self employed. Her hobbies included silversmith, traveling,
gardening, reading and movies.
Survivors include her husband, Julius Dabbs Sr. of Mariano Lake; sons,
Patrick Dabbs, Julius Dabbs, and Darwin Dabbs; brothers, Harold Thompson
of Tuscon, Ariz., Damon Thompson of Smith Lake, Andy R. Thompson of
Casamero Lake,
David P. Thompson and Dennis R. Thompson both of Mariano Lake.
Dabbs was preceded in death by her son, Darrell Dabbs; daughter, Valerie
Dabbs; parents, Dan and Mary Thompson; and
brother, Wilbert Thompson.
Pallbearers will be Kenneth Joe, Jerry Tully, Harrison Mariano, Art
Charley, Jensen Dabbs and Harry Mariano.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Mariano Lake Chapter House.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
John White
RAMAH — Services for John White, 91, will be held at 10 a.m.,
Thursday, Nov. 8 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints Church, Ramah. Dan Lambson will officiate. Burial will
follow in Ramah.
White died Nov. 2 in Grants. He was born July 10, 1910 in Two Wells
into the Meadow People Clan for the Sleeping Rock
People Clan.
White was a rancher and railroader.
Survivors include his wife, Verda White; sons, Edward Martine of Alamo,
Edgar White of Brim, Wash., Larson White Sr. and
Emerson White both of Ramah; daughters, Evelynn Martine and Susie
White both of Ramah; sister, Nellie Wilson and four
grandchildren.
White was preceded in death by his parents.
Pallbearers will be Larson White Jr., LeAndrew Martine, Jerome White,
Edgar White, Hose Phillips and Edwin Benally.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
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