Deputy killers face death in Ariz.
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — You only die once.
That's what District Attorney Karl Gillson said about the possibility
of not prosecuting the confessed murderers of off-duty McKinley
County Sheriff's Deputy Debra Valdez Sept. 13.
The decision hangs on what happens in Flagstaff, Ariz., where
officials are seeking the death penalty for Valdez's murderers,
Jimmy Odom, 36, and Donna Lankford, 33, both of Kirbyville, Texas,
who also confessed to murdering Duard Stamphill, 63, of Yuma,
Ariz., on Sept. 11 at a campsite near Flagstaff.
"You can't die multiple times," Gillson said. "We'll
have to see how successful their prosecution is. We'll be patient;
we'll be watchful. I'm not in a position to give you a definite
answer" on whether Valdez's case will go to trial.
"The important thing is they're in custody and their killing
spree is over," Gillson said. "It's a pretty heinous
series of deaths. These guys are mean. They have no regard for
life."
Once the Stamphill case is decided, Gillson will assess whether
or not a trial in Valdez's murder is appropriate. If they get
the death penalty in Arizona, "that surely answers a lot
of questions we have here," Gillson said.
However, if Odom and Lankford win an appeal and are released from
the death penalty, then a case in Gallup would be worthy, since
the death penalty is an option in Valdez's case.
Valdez's ordeal began when Lankford's car ran out of gas on Interstate
40 near Coolidge, right across the interstate from the home of
Valdez, who hadn't yet begun to work for the sheriff's department
but was a certified police officer. In their confession, they
told police they watched the homes to determine whose vehicle
they would steal.
They approached Valdez for "help." She took them in
her van back to their car so they could get a gas can to fill
at Giant Travel Center.
Near Lankford's car on I-40, they shot Valdez in the back through
the seat, then twice in the head, according to the confessions.
The suspects dumped her body in El Malpais near Grants and headed
for Texas.
Fear that the suspects aren't going to answer for Valdez's death
because of the action in Flagstaff angers McKinley County deputies
and police at the China Lake Police Department in California,
where Valdez worked for many years before moving to Gallup.
"The realistic part of me sees why if they get the death
penalty in Flagstaff, what more can we do to them?" said
McKinley County Sheriff's Capt. Donna Goodrich. "But somebody
has to answer for her death. It was a brutal and horrible death.
Out of the kindness of her heart, she tried to help them, and
she gets killed. They knew she was an off-duty police officer."
China Lake Lt. Kerry Swiggum said he agrees with Goodrich. "It
was a terrible loss for us. She worked here so long; she was a
special person. It would have been easy for them to have taken
her and dropped her off (alive) in the middle of nowhere and have
time to get away.
"I heard she was shot in the back and twice in the head.
They need to answer for her murder. I feel it's the only way.
This is probably one of the worst things that's ever happened
in this department."
Coconino County Sheriff's Department Detective Tim Cornelius said
County Attorney Jeff James is asking for the death penalty in
the Stamphill murder. Odom and Lankford were indicted by an Arizona
grand jury for first degree murder, committing a felony during
a burglary, kidnapping, and theft, Cornelius said.
The case in Arizona is on hold while attorneys file motions. No
trial date has yet been set.
"If he gets the death penalty here, which we are asking for,
I don't know if McKinley County will charge them. It would be
like kicking a dead horse," Cornelius said.
The case made national news as McKinley County Sheriff's Department
deputies, several police and sheriff's offices in Texas and the
Texas Rangers searched for Odom and Lankford, who were on the
run after dumping Valdez's blood-spattered van in a small town
200 miles from El Paso.
Despite the suspects' "killing spree," Cornelius said
he doesn't know if Odom and Lankford could really be called serial
killers.
"I don't believe they ever killed before. They were just
down on their luck and would do anything to go home," Cornelius
said.
Gillson said more planning in the murders would have been necessary
to make them serial killers.
Valdez was a mother of teen-age daughters and was estranged from
her husband, Frank Valdez of Ridgecrest, Calif., Goodrich said.
Valdez moved to Gallup to have a fresh start, and was excited
to work for a department with a SWAT team.
"We still do intend to follow through, get arrest warrants
and have a trial," Goodrich said.
But in the end, it's up to Gillson, who repeated: "You only
die once."
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Tribal cop shoots man holding BB gun
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
CROWNPOINT — A Thoreau man who refused to give up a pistol to
Crownpoint police was shot in the wrist Monday according to information
from the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.
The incident occurred at Central Valley Housing in Crownpoint. Arrested
was Brian Henio, 24, of Thoreau, who was shot in the left wrist by
a Crownpoint officer after refusing to give up a handgun — which
turned out to be a BB gun, said Lt. Pete Kassetas, in charge of the
state police investigating unit. The officer had no way of knowing
the gun was not a more deadly firearm, Kasseas said.
Henio was arrested on tribal charges of aggravated assault and being
under the influence of a toxic vapor.
"He (Henio) was sniffing paint from what we understand,"
Kassetas said.
After one of the two Crownpoint officers opened the driver's side
door of the car, Henio still refused to give up his weapon, Kassetas
said. Following the shot to his left wrist, Henio was taken to the
Crownpoint Indian Health Service Hospital for treatment and later
released into police custody.
The tribal-state police reports did not mention if the car Henio was
driving was his own, or why he had stopped off at Central Valley Housing.
The shooting occurred at 12:50 p.m. Monday. By tribal police department
policy, officers involved in a shooting — in this case two —
are required to be placed on administrative leave for three days.
Kassetas said state police were handling the investigation as a courtesy.
The FBI was also notified. The name of the officer involved in the
shooting was not released.
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MVD offers strategies to beat the system
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Each day, between 250 and 400 area residents troop to
the local motor vehicle office, hoping that this will be the time
that their number will be called within five minutes.
But their chances of that happening are about the same as the Dallas
Cowboys winding up in the Super Bowl this year.
It's become a fact of life not only here but all over the country
- if you have to get your license renewed or register a new car, you're
going to have a long wait. But officials for the motor vehicle office
here in Gallup say that with a little planning, you can cut down on
that waiting.
The first thing to consider, said Toby Williams, one of the four bureau
chiefs for the motor vehicle division, is human nature.
"There are two kinds of people," he said. There are the
procrastinators who wait until the last few days of the month and
suddenly realize that they have only a couple of days left to renew
their license and then there are people who decide to get it over
as soon as possible, so when the new month begins, they're in line
right away.
What this means for the rest of us is that visitors to the motor vehicle
office sharply increases at the beginning and end of the month and
so does the waiting time.
Statistics kept by the office shows that daily visitation goes from
about 238 a day in the middle of the month (with an average waiting
time as little as an hour) to 358 -364 at the end of the month and
the beginning of the next month (with waiting times going up to three
hours).
But another day that it would be better to avoid the office is the
19th or 20th of the month, which sometimes has the largest number
of people in the month.
The reason is that when the motor vehicle mails out letters each month
to people who need to renew their license plate, the letter gives
the person until the 19th to mail them in to make sure that the state
has enough time to mail the new sticker back by the end of the month.
A lot of people apparently don't realize that they have until the
end of the month to get the sticker if they go to the local office
so they come en masse to the office on the 19th and 20th to take care
of business.
So the best times during the month to take care of business and not
waste a lot of time is from the 6th to the 17th and the 21st to the
26th.
But office officials also recommend trying to avoid Mondays and Fridays,
again to avoid people who want to get their work done early or those
who wait until the last minute.
So you have done your planning and it's the 24th of the month and
you're ready to go to the office, knowing that your waiting time will
be in minutes and not hours. So you arrive at the office a few minutes
after noon. Two hours later, your number is called.
You made the amateur mistake, thinking that noon would be a good time
because of the other people who would be competing
for the clerks will be out eating. You forgot, however, that the clerks
themselves have to eat so the number of people working the computers
is reduced to one or two from five. And this continues from about
noon to about 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.
(depending on when the first shift goes out to lunch).
"If you come in during your lunch hour and expect to get done
during lunch, it's not going to happen," said Williams.
Everyone admits that life at the motor vehicle depaartment will be
a lot better for everyone if the state would just provide the funding
for a few more clerks but officials in Santa Fe say understaffing
is a problem that exists in every motor vehicle office in the state.
Gallup is now processing about 48,000 transactions a year, as compared
to Farmington's 50,000 and Grant's 22,000. The biggest office in the
state is at Winrock in Albuquerque, which sees some 160,000 transactions
a year. For what it is worth, Farmington with only 2,000 more transactions
a year than Gallup has three more clerks than Gallup has.
Those who want to get in and out as soon as possible would be better
off getting there when the largest number of workers are on duty,
which is usually from 8 a.m. when it opens to noon and from 2 p.m.
to when it closes at 4 p.m.
Linda Torgler, the manager of the Gallup office, said that there's
a line of people usually waiting when the office opens. But even if
the line is 15 to 20 people and four or five clerks on duty by 8:30
a.m., the wait is usually less than normal.
As for waiting until the afternoon, that could be a problem because
a lot of people seem to have the same idea and the crowds in the office
usually swell to its highest level of the day.
The office closes at 4 p.m. at which time no one else is allowed to
enter.
"We have to close the office but the clerks continue serving
clients," Williams said, adding that the office has to close
early because the state will not allow any overtime. Also, if the
number of people is higher than usual, the office may close before
4 p.m. to make sure that everyone is served by 5 p.m.
In order to beat the odds a lot of people, said Torgler, come into
the office, pick up a number and then go eat or shopping for an hour
or so to cut down their waiting time. Torgler said that there is no
problem doing this but if you misjudge the time and get back after
your number is called, you have to take another number and begin the
waiting time all over again.
What a lot of people can't take, however, is waiting a couple of hours,
only to hear your number called and find out that you don't have all
the papers you need to get the transaction done.
"We allow people to go out to their car or go home to get documents
they forgot," said Torgler. When they get back to the office,
they are allowed to go to the clerk and get their transaction completed.
But Williams said that people would not have this problem, if they
just looked at the various posters on the wall that explain what kinds
of documents are needed.
As for the waiting time, both Williams and Torgler recommend that
people just bring something to keep them occupied - a book, knitting
or a newspaper.
The office is planning to put up two televisions in the waiting area
in the near future but forget about watching your favorite soap opera
- the tvs will be used to show traffic safety videos.
But there is a way that most people can avoid the long waits - when
you get that letter from the motor vehicle department saying your
license plate needs to be renewed, mail it in before the deadline.
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Area sports
Carrie Loretto
Sports Editor
GALLUP — Mike Nichols came off the bench and sank a pair of free
throws to lift the Gallup Catholic Panthers to a 47-45 District 6A
victory over Pine Hill in boys prep basketball action at Gallup Catholic
High School Tuesday night.
"I knew exactly who I wanted to go to," Gallup Catholic
coach Vince Lonetree said. "I felt bad for James, I would have
liked him to have the chance to win the game for us."
James Kezele had rebounded a missed one-and-one opportunity by Justin
Begay, but went down hard after getting challenged by Daniel Henio
who was called for a foul. The game was momentarily suspended for
the third time while Kezele was attended to. After Kezele walked off
the court under his own power, Lonetree signalled in Nichols who calmly
converted the Panthers' one-and-one free throw opportunity to break
the 45-45 tie with 11 seconds left in the game.
"It was anybody's game, we missed our free throw and they hit
theirs," Pine Hill coach Justin Black said.
Pine Hill converted only 2 of a limited 8 free throw opportunities.
Gallup Catholic made 6-of-10.
The Warriors got off a final shot, but missed the shot and Panther
Brian Morris came up with the loose ball rebound after a pair of Pine
Hill players couldn't control it.
Nichols free throws ended a long night during which play was suspended
two other times in the fourth quarter. There was a long 45 minute
timeout when Pine Hill's Corey Chischilly experienced back spasms
with 12.9 seconds left. Earlier in the period, Begay limped off the
court after getting a leg cramp.
"He got bumped and his back just locked up on him. He's had them
before," Black said about Chischilly.
Black admitted both players were dehydrated, not taking in enough
fluids during the game, adding, "It's a sign of working hard."
Pine Hill did outplay Gallup Catholic as the upset-minded Warriors
led most of the game. A strong three-point shooting performance and
rebounding, particularly on the defensive boards, helped the Warriors
take as much as a 10-point lead in the first half. A pair of three
pointers from Dominic Chischilly and Begay, along with a putback off
the offensive glass by Begay accounted for an 8-0 run that put Pine
Hill up 28-18 with three minutes left in the first half.
A tough zone defense kept Morris out of the offensive mix in the first
half and Pine Hill's strong rebounding performance limited the Panthers
opportunities.
However, several halftime adjustments brought Gallup Catholic back
in the third quarter.
The Panthers begin to look to get the ball to Morris more consistently
and he responded with half of Gallup Catholic's 16 points which propelled
the Panthers into the lead, 41-39 by the end of the period.The Panthers
also started rebounding better and were able to contain Begay, who
scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the first half, with a box-and-one.
"Offensively, we didn't get the ball down to (Morris), we just
didn't look down low," Lonetree said. "Defensively, (Begay)
hurt us in the first half. We limited him in the second half and the
others got cold."
Morris ignited an 8-0 run for the Panthers with a pair of free throws
2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter. Raphael Jones came up with his
second steal and took it in for a layup on the next play. After Morris
rebounded a missed three-point attempt by Pine Hill, D.J. Biava scored
at the other end to make it a two-point contest.
The teams traded turnovers on their next three possessions before
the Panthers returned from a timeout and again got the ball to Morris
inside to tie the game at 37-37.
Pine Hill regained the lead with Begay's first score of the second
half with just over two minutes remaining in the third.
Baskets by Biava and Morris put the Panthers ahead going into the
final period.
Neither team shot very well in the fourth quarter and Gallup Catholic
was able to control the tempo, working its halfcourt offense looking
to get the ball into their big guy Morris and run time off the clock.
Pine Hill prevented the Panthers from getting the ball to Morris,
but Jones and Biava stepped up and hit a pair of baskets.
Pine Hill got baskets from Begay and Daniel Henio to keep the game
tied at 45-45. Neither team scored in the final 2:35 until Nichols'
free throws.
For the game, Gallup Catholic made only 20-of-44 field goal attempts
and Pine Hill 19-of-57. The Warriors did shoot 5-of-17 from three-point
range, four of which came in the first half. The smaller Warrior team
was only outrebounded by two, 30 to 28.
"Pine Hill did a great job outhustling us," Lonetree complimented.
"They pretty much outplayed us for three quarters."
"We played extremely well, it was probably one of the best games
we've played all year," said Black.
The Panthers improve to 3-1 in district, 12-4 overall. They will play
Temple Baptist Monday. Pine Hill, still winless in district drops
to 6-15.
Morris ended up with 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
Jones contributed 14 points, three assists and a pair of steals. Biava
finished with eight points and six assists.
Other than Begay, the Warriors didn't have any other scorer in double
figures.
Pine Hill 68, Gallup Catholic 26
Pine Hill jumped out to a 20-8 lead and eight of 10 Pine Hill players
scored as they routed the struggling Lady Panthers earlier.
Candace Daw and Denise Johnson led the balanced Lady Warriors' attack
with 13 points apiece. Althea Pat scored 12 and Vaness Yazzie contributed
11.
Katy Sparks was the only Panther in double figures with 10 points.
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Diné leaders decry violence
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Violence, illustrated by seven high-profile deaths
since Halloween, was the focus of the Navajo Nation's three branch
chiefs in their quarterly "State of the Navajo Nation" speeches
Monday and Tuesday.
Executive Branch Chief Kelsey Begaye on Monday concluded: "The
most fundamental aspect in addressing public safety concerns is the
dire need for individuals to go back to the basics, to return to basic
human, family and spiritual values, which means every Navajo has to
do their part, to contribute, and take responsibility in caring for
his or her community.
"We find ourselves at a turning point where we need to realize
that strong individuals make strong families; that strong families
make strong communities; that strong communities make strong leaders.
We need to realize further that strong leaders make a strong government;
that a strong government makes a strong nation. With that we will
realize that a strong nation makes a strong people..."
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Tribe wants 2 freed from MacDonald riot
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation has petitioned for the early
release of the last two Diné still in federal prison from
the 1989 MacDonald riot in which two people were killed in an attempt
to storm a tribal administration building.
The two, Ned McKensley and Donald Benally, have issued apology letters
in the Navajo tradition.
Ned McKensley's letter said, in part, "I want my family, friends,
the victims, their families and all those who love and respect me
to know that I deeply regret the run of the events on that day,
July 20, 1989. I sincerely apologize for all that happened: I would
like to tell the world that no ends can ever be achieved by violence
and that violence only leads towards more hurt."
Donald Benally's said, in part, "The impact of this ordeal
has caused me to accept the responsibility for my involvement...therefore,
I deeply apologize to all of the parties that were physically and
emotionally hurt from this Navajo political leadership dispute..."
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Indian Gold medalist to speak at Monument Valley
torch run
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — Billy Mills, the only American Indian to win
an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meters race, will be one of
the featured speakers when the Olympic Torch Relay reaches Monument
Valley in Utah on Monday.
Mills won his gold medal in the 10,000 meter race in the 1964 Summer
Olympic Games in Tokyo. He will join what is expected to be a crowd
of more than 5,000 spectators who will visit the Navajo tribal park
in Monument Valley.
Mills followed in the footsteps of the great Jim Thorpe, a Fox and
Sac Indian, who won gold medals the pentathalon and decathlon at
the 1912 Olympic games in Sweden...
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Baca man accused in ax attack
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
BACA — An intoxicated Baca man used an ax Sunday to strike
and injure a woman, resulting in his arrest on Navajo tribal charges
of aggravated battery, threatening, criminal damage and a bench
warrant.
The incident occurred at 6:25 p.m. Sunday at a residence on South
Chavez Loop. Arrested was Lorenzo Bahe, 50, who lives with the victim,
Rena Plummer. The nature of their relationship was not listed in
the police report.
Bahe used the ax to allegedly hit Plummer in the shoulder, causing
pain and bleeding and break windows at the residence...
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Charley indicted in killings
PHOENIX (AP) — A Klagetoh woman accused of killing three of
her six children has been indicted on murder and firearms charges,
officials said Tuesday.
The federal indictment accuses Elvira Charley, 31, with fatally
shooting three of her children, ages 11, 10 and 9, on New Year's
Day.
She is charged with first-degree murder and possession or use of
a firearm in a crime of violence...
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Salt Lake motels hike rates and displace poor
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Joyce Andersen and her husband were paying
$180 a week to live in a room at the Zion's Motel in Salt Lake City,
which even its owner concedes caters to people "right on the
edge" of homelessness.
But with the Winter Olympics less than two weeks away, the rates
at Zion's have jumped to $735 a week — and its regular residents
are finding themselves out in the cold.
"This is unexpected and upsetting. It's not right," Andersen
said.
Owner John Purdue says it's simply capitalism...
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Deaths
Rulon A. Ashcroft Jr.
THOREAU — Services for Rulon Ashcroft Jr., 60, will be held
at 2 p.m. Thursday at Strong Hold Church. Pastor Hank Stokes will
officiate.
Ashcroft died Jan. 26 in Gallup. He was born Aug. 22, 1941 in Farmington.
Survivors include his wife, Lorraine Ashcroft of Thoreau; sons,
Orby Ashcroft of Gallup and Rulon Ashcroft III of Pamona, Calif.;
daughter, Darlene Ashcroft of Pamona, Calif.; brother, Lynn Ashcroft
of Bernalillo; sisters, Phyllis Goar of Bosque Farms and Sandy McCollum
of Milan; and five grandchildren.
Ashcroft was preceded in death by his parents, Ivy M. and Rulen
Ashcroft Sr.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Elizabeth D. Francis
MANUELITO — Services for Elizabeth Francis, 77, will be announced
at a later date.
Francis died Jan. 28 in Gallup. She was born Nov. 11, 1924 in Box
Canyon into the Black Sheep People Clan for the
Bitterwater People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Samuel W. Thomas Sr.
CHINLE, Ariz. — Services for Samuel Thomas Sr., 64, will be
announced at a later date.
Thomas Sr. died Jan. 27 in Albuquerque. He was born Aug. 11, 1937
in Canyon Dechelly, Ariz. into the Coyote Pass People Clan for the
Tangle People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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