Police Blotter: Diné man faces murder charge

LOS ANGELES

The U.S. Attorney in Arizona has filed first-degree murder charged against a Navajo Reservation resident for a killing that occurred on April 7.

On that date, according to the indictment, “Lodi Gene Bitsie did with premeditation and with malice aforethought, kill B.T.”

The indictment gives no details of the crime or the ages or home addresses of either Bitsie or the person he is accused of killing. It does indicate that the crime occurred on the Arizona portion of the reservation.

Court documents say Bitsie has been is being held without bond because, if convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Las Vegas man arrested in stolen vehicle

CHAMBERS, Ariz. – A man driving a car that was reported stolen in Nevada was arrested on April 16, according to the Apache County Sheriff’s Office.

Jeremiah Tarton, 19, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged with theft of means of transportation and was booked into Apache County Jail in St. Johns.

A traffic stop by a detective with the Apache County Special Crimes Enforcement Team at Mile Marker 325 on Interstate 40 led to the arrest.