NEWS
Farmington man charged in fatal stabbing
Police say a recently released inmate is accused of fatally stabbing a 43-year-old man
A Farmington man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing another man less than one month after being released from jail.
Andrew Begay, 29, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 43-year-old Eli Newton. He was arrested and booked into the San Juan Detention Center on April 17. It is unclear if he has an attorney.
Court records identify Begay as homeless.
鈥淭his is a violent offense with no apparent motive,鈥 states a pretrial detention motion filed on April 17 by prosecutors. 鈥淒efendant was on probation pending the appeal of a magistrate probation violation when he committed this crime.鈥
Farmington police were dispatched on April 15 to a home in the 400 block of East Broadway around 12:30 a.m. for a welfare check on an injured man, according to an affidavit filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.
Officers arrived and found Newton with multiple stab wounds around his body, head and throat.
He was taken to the San Juan Regional Medical Center, where he died from his injuries, according to a news release from the Farmington Police Department.
The following day, police were responding to an unrelated robbery call when they spoke with a witness who said that one of the alleged robbers said he had recently stabbed someone, the affidavit states.
The man told officers that he was walking when he saw a man, later identified as Begay, on the ground who appeared to be intoxicated, according to the affidavit.
The man told police Begay said, 鈥淚 stabbed someone,鈥 and he had blood on his hands and a cut on his face, the affidavit states.
Police spoke with Begay, who said that he had been assaulted by a group of people earlier that week, according to the affidavit. When asked by police why he was assaulted, Begay said he was searching for his uncle鈥檚 killer and told officers Newton was his uncle.
Begay told police that he and Newton were related through the Kin Ya'a'anii Clan and said the pair had met in jail, the affidavit states.
Begay later told officers he was with Newton on the night of his death, according to the affidavit. He said that the two went to a gas station to purchase alcohol and when Begay exited the store, Newton had been stabbed.
Police asked Begay why he had not reported Newton鈥檚 death and he said he was in a state of shock and chose to leave the area, the affidavit states.
Court records show Begay was on probation on one charge for possession of a controlled substance. He was released from custody on March 31 pending the outcome of his probation violation appeal.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.