Kidnapping, murder suspect waives prelim
ALBUQUERQUE
Tom Begaye, Jr., Diné, 27, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering 11-year old Ashlynne Mike, appeared before federal Judge Steven Yarbrough last Friday morning.
Yarbrough asked Begaye if he wanted to go forward with a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, according to the due process of law.
In a one-syllable response, Begaye indicated that he did not, waiving his rights to those hearings.
This means that the court will go forward with setting a trial date.
According to an affidavit filed by a Federal Bureau of Investigation special investigator, there’s enough probable cause to believe that Begaye sexually assaulted, kidnapped and murdered Mike the evening of May 2 somewhere in the vicinity of the Shiprock monument.
Yarbrough ordered Begaye to be turned over to the U.S. Marshal Service and held in custody.
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