Trial in Hogback murders delayed

By Brian Hassler
Staff Writer

HOGBACK — The March trial set for three of the suspects involved in the Nov. 7 execution-style murders in Hogback has been postponed until June.

While authorities have been unable to locate and apprehend one suspect, they were able to arrest Eugina Cowboy, Robert Darcy Manus and Chuck Nahkai soon after the triple murder.

Initially investigators used video tape from a surveillance camera at a gas station in Shiprock to lead them to Cowboy, who in turn provided information that led to the arrest of Nahkai and Manus and gave authorities the name of Michael D. Johnson for the deaths of Vickie Benally, Bobby Fulton and Lars Yazzie.

According to law enforcement officials, it was Johnson who had Cowboy contact Fulton with the promise of an "eight-ball of meth" if Fulton would meet her in Hogback at night on Nov. 7. After arriving, Fulton got out of the car to talk to Cowboy when Manus, Nahkai and Johnson opened fire on Fulton.

Fulton was found on the ground with numerous bullets in his body, while Benally and Yazzie were found shot to death in their vehicle on a little-known road in Hogback.

Since the shootings, authorities have looked for Johnson throughout the Navajo Nation as well as in Phoenix, Tucson and Mexico without any luck.

A $10,000 reward was offered for the arrest of Johnson but aside from tips being called in, investigators have yet to locate Johnson and are considering running his story on "America's Most Wanted" but have elected to hold off on that action until all quality leads have been exhausted.

Whether or not Cowboy will be given a lighter charge or sentence wasn't answered by authorities since she did cooperate but it is known that Johnson is facing charges of first-degree murder, crimes on the reservation, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, distribution of a controlled substance, aiding and abetting and use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

The exact date of the trial has not been released.

Anyone with information concerning Johnson's whereabouts should contact Crimestoppers at (505) 334-TIPS.

— 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.