Jemez Man Charged with First Degree Murder
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 30, 2010 |
United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales announced that Lucas Michael Ray Steven Toledo, 22, a resident and enrolled member of the Jemez Pueblo, has been charged with the first degree murder of Matthew Panana, 21, also an enrolled member of the Jemez Pueblo. According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court this morning, Toledo murdered Mr. Panana in the early hours of September 29, 2010 outside Toledo’s residence on the Jemez Pueblo Reservation. If convicted of this offense, Toledo faces up to a lifetime of imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine. Toledo appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi earlier today; his detention hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on October 1, 2010.
The criminal complaint alleges that Toledo acknowledged murdering Mr. Panana sometime after 1:30 a.m. on September 29, 2010, after Mr. Panana repeatedly disrupted Toledo as he was attempting to sleep by knocking on Toledo’s bedroom window. In response to Mr. Panana’s disruptive behavior, Toledo went outside the residence and attacked Mr. Panana with a box-cutter razor and kitchen knife. Toledo allegedly repeatedly stabbed Mr. Panana in the back and, when Mr. Panana fell to the ground, repeatedly kicked him in the face. Toledo then left Mr. Panana to retrieve another knife and a shovel. Toledo returned to Mr. Panana and repeatedly struck Mr. Panana in the face with the shovel. Toledo then stabbed Mr. Panana in the face several times, slashed open his throat, and disemboweled him. According to the criminal complaint, Toledo next went into his residence where he applied black and white paint to his face. He then returned to Mr. Panana and repeatedly struck him in the head with the shovel.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Presliano Torrez and Glynette Carson-McNabb and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.