Navajo Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Second Degree Murder
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 16, 2011 |
PHOENIX—U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke announced today Derek Chee, 24, of Blue Gap, Arizona, was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for one charge of second degree murder. Chee pleaded guilty on October 4, 2010, to the charge.
According to the complaint, on October 19, 2009, Chee had been working and drinking with two male family members in Blue Gap on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Chee became intoxicated and angry at one of the family members. Chee struck him repeatedly in the head with a blunt object, killing him. Chee admitted that his actions were done recklessly, and with extreme disregard for human life. An autopsy of the victim revealed that he died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries to the head.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Brian E. Kasprzyk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-09-8141-PCT-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2011-022(Chee)