Thursday, March 28, 2024

Police Blotter: ‘Unprovoked’ attack injures Pinedale family

LOS ANGELES

What is being described as an unprovoked attack on four residents of Pinedale, New Mexico, on the Fourth of July has resulted in federal charges against Valerie Arthur.

Arthur, 34, has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault causing serious bodily injury. The U. S. Marshall’s Office in Albuquerque is currently holding Arthur in custody.

According to court records, L.P., 30, was outside her Pinedale home that evening helping prepare food for her relatives who were spending the day with her.

She said Arthur had been hanging around throughout the afternoon and had been told at least twice to go away. She said that evening Arthur returned and attacked her by stabbing her with a knife several times.

She also said no one in the family had a relationship with Arthur and no one wanted one.

Her sister, identified as T.B., told FBI agents that she heard her sister scream while she was inside the house. When she went outside, she said she witnessed Arthur stabbing her sister.

She then ran back into the house, followed by Arthur, who then attacked her with her a knife, stabbing her in her legs, back and face.

T.B. said her son and daughter came to her defense and both were stabbed as they tried to rake control of the knife. She said they eventually gained control of the knife.

Both she and her sister were in a lot of pain with L.P. saying the pain registered a 10 on the pain scale. Her sister said her pain was an 8.

All four were transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center where medical staff there said the injuries to L.P. were so severe that it was “touch and go” until medical staff managed to get her stabilized.

After the family managed to gain control of the knife, Arthur left the residence and walked next door to where her home was located. The family later turned over the folding knife they took from her and gave it to Navajo Police.

Former Newcomb school worker faces child pornography charges

LOS ANGELES – The use of a Facebook messaging app to send images of child pornography has led to federal charges against a former employee of the middle school in Newcomb, New Mexico.

Aaron Leon Happy, 40, of Shiprock, is currently in federal custody in Albuquerque after being indicted on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography and transfer of obscene material to a minor under the age of 16.

According to court records, Happy was a health aide at the school. In December 2020, FBI agents secured a search warrant to search his home computer and office computer as well as his cell phone.

The search revealed he had sent adult pornography pictures to a student in the middle school.

The FBI agent also discovered evidence that Happy had sent child pornography photos to another individual using Facebook.


About The Author

Bill Donovan

Bill Donovan wrote about Navajo Nation government and its people since 1971. He joined Navajo Times in 1976, and retired from full-time reporting in 2018 to move to Torrance, Calif., to be near his kids. He continued to write for the Times until his passing in August 2022.

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