Kewa Pueblo Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison on Second-Degree Murder Conviction
Accessories after the Fact also Sentenced to Federal Prison

ALBUQUERQUE—Adrian Chavez, 24, a member and resident of Kewa Pueblo, was sentenced earlier today to 192 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his second-degree murder conviction. His co-defendants, Derrick Chavez, 26, and Myron Garcia, 24, also members and residents of Kewa Pueblo, were sentenced on their convictions for being accessories after the fact to second-degree murder. Myron Garcia was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and Derrick Chavez was sentenced to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales; Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI; and DuWayne W. Honahni, Sr., Special Agent in Charge of District IV of BIA’s Office of Justice Services.

Adrian Chavez pleaded guilty in June 2012 to killing Nevin Garcia, a 20-year-old member of Kewa Pueblo, with a machete on October 21, 2009. Also in June 2012, Derrick Chavez and Myron Garcia entered guilty pleas to being accessories after the fact and admitted helping Adrian Chavez bury Nevin Garcia’s remains.

According to court filings, the BIA learned about Nevin Garcia’s murder when Adrian Chavez turned himself into the Kewa Pueblo Tribal Office on the night of October 21, 2009. Investigation revealed that, earlier that evening, Adrian Chavez, Nevin Garcia, Derrick Chavez, and Myron Garcia were drinking alcoholic beverages on a plot of land located within Kewa Pueblo that had a mobile home and camper trailer. While Derrick Garcia and Myron Chavez were inside the trailer, Adrian Chavez and Nevin Garcia began arguing. As Myron Garcia came out of the trailer, he saw Adrian Chavez strike Nevin Garcia in the face with a machete. Derrick Chavez came out of the trailer shortly thereafter. Nevin Garcia was unresponsive after he was struck with the machete. Derrick Chavez and Myron Garcia assisted Adrian Chavez in removing Nevin Garcia’s clothing, wrapping him in a plastic tarp, and placing him in the back of a pickup truck. The three men then drove to a location a short distance from the mobile home and trailer and buried Nevin Garcia’s remains.

Adrian Chavez has been in federal custody since his arrest in October 2009, and Myron Garcia and Derrick Chavez have been in federal custody since their arrests in January 2009.

The case was investigated by the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto D. Ortega.