Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
The FBI Denver Division is requesting the public’s assistance to help locate a stolen vehicle and identify the assailants who violently attacked the truck’s owner around midnight on April 29, 2021. The incident occurred on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation near the entrance of the Weeminuche Construction Authority gravel pit located in southwest Colorado off U.S. 160 near the Four Corners Monument. This case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Denver – Durango Resident Agency and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Towaoc, Colorado.
The victim is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. The assault caused the victim to suffer a subdural hemorrhage (bleeding inside the head) and facial lacerations, resulting in significant blood loss as well as requiring stitches in multiple areas. Those responsible are believed to have fled in the direction of the intersection of U.S. 160 and U.S. 64 in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. Whoever is responsible is likely familiar with the area and may be linked to other crimes that have recently occurred in the Four Corners region. Investigators are asking the public for information related to this incident so they may arrest the person(s) responsible.
“We have seen too much violence in our communities in the Four Corners area. The FBI is responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and we, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these cases,” said Denver FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “We ask anyone with information about this violent attack on a community member to contact us.”
The stolen vehicle is described as a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado 2WD crew cab short bed with Arizona tag CAF1572. The VIN is 1GCGSAE30F1176700 and the truck has a cracked windshield, black marks on the driver’s side front fender, and an “#AztecStrong” sticker in the rear window.
An FBI poster with more details of the assault and robbery, and photos of a similar truck are available here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/assault-and-vehicle-robbery-indian-country.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI Denver Field Office at (303) 629-7171, or submit a tip online at: tips.fbi.gov. You may also contact your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.