Police Blotter | Suspect arrested in death of woman found near Piñon

FLAGSTAFF

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman, whose body was found on the Hopi Reservation in 2021.

Jamie Lynette Yazzie was last seen near Pinon, Arizona, on June 30, 2019 and hadn’t been seen since until her body was found last year.

Authorities arrested 30-year-old Tre C. James of Pinon Friday.

James was indicted by a federal grand jury of eight counts earlier in the week before he was arrested.

Two of the eight counts allege James shot and killed Yazzie.

Yazzie was listed as a missing person by both federal and tribal law enforcement, and the circumstances of her disappearance were investigated jointly by several organizations, including Navajo Police, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

James was arrested on first-degree murder and several acts of domestic violence.

The five domestic violence counts allege James committed the crimes against three victims between 2018 and 2021.

The criminal acts included suffocation, strangling, kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon.

James made his initial appearance in court Friday and a detention hearing will take place Tuesday in federal court in Flagstaff.

FBI offers reward for 2018 killing

ALBUQUERQUE – The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the 2018 homicide of Herbert Whitehorse.

On May 3, 2018, the body of Herbert Whitehorse was found in an arroyo in Shiprock.

An autopsy determined Whitehorse, 67, died from blunt force trauma to his head.

He possibly was last seen alive on or about April 15, 2018, in the Shiprock area.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the FBI at 505-889-1300 or go to tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating.

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