Murder suspect may have fled
Family members say Wadsworth may have gone to Las Vegas, Nev.

By Brian Hassler
Staff Writer

SHIPROCK — On Feb. 21 family members of murder victim Duane Wadsworth arrived at the Shiprock courthouse for a hearing involving his sister, Deanne Wadsworth.

Deanne, who family members say had been arrested for stabbing her brother to death on Jan. 15, was scheduled to be in court on Tuesday concerning that case.

But when family members arrived at the courthouse, they found that there was no case scheduled and that Deanne Wadsworth had been released on bail.

"Deanne was to have the hearing and we found out there was no hearing," said one family member. "When I got back home, I found out she's been bailed out. I haven't talked to the rest of the family about it so I don't know how they feel. I don't know if they feel safe or not with her out of jail."

Soon after Wadsworth was killed it was released by investigators that witnesses of the attack were at various stages of inebriation and that reliable testimony was being sought. However, relatives of Wadsworth said the killer was his sister, Deanne, and that both Deanne and Duane had been using methamphetamine before the attack took place.

Another family member revealed that while using meth, Deanne Wadsworth had attacked other family members with weapons and had even threatened to kill her mother before her mother was moved out of state.

So far family members have been told that Deanne left for Las Vegas, Nev., but they haven't been able to confirm whether or not she has actually traveled out of state.

"There was a joke among the family and people in the area that if you want to kill someone, to do it on the reservation since you don't have to stay in jail too long," said one family member.

As for federal charges on the case, investigators have been unable to comment on the possible use of meth before the attack and have been preparing the facts of the case for the U.S. attorney.

"The case has been sent to the office of the U.S. attorney," said Bill Elwell, FBI special agent. "The U.S. attorney asked for additional information to be reviewed in order to decide whether or not to prosecute the case federally."

— Brian Hassler is The Independent's Four Corners reporter based in Shiprock. Contact him at (505) 360-7862 or via email at brianhassler@hotmail.com