ABQ Times

A Pinehill man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges related to a fatal stabbing at a family gathering in Shiprock, New Mexico.

Court documents reveal that on July 31, 2023, Kirtie Cohoe, 48, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, attended a family event at a relative's home in Shiprock. During the gathering, Cohoe and John Doe were alone in the kitchen when a dispute broke out. Cohoe lost self-control and stabbed John Doe multiple times in the torso with a knife instead of walking away.

Following the incident, Cohoe fled the scene on foot, taking the weapon with him. Responding officers from the Navajo Police Department found John Doe deceased at the home. Cohoe was later apprehended in a nearby wooded area with blood visible on his clothing. The weapon was recovered near Cohoe's wallet.

At sentencing, Cohoe faces up to 15 years in prison. Upon release, he will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.