Police searching for murder suspects

GALLUP

Gallup police were looking Wednesday for two Native American men and a woman who were involved in the murder of a St. Michaels, Arizona, man Tuesday.

The victim was identified as 22 year-old Kendrick Chee Smith who was with his brother, Brandon Smith, 27, on South Second Street in Gallup about 4:30 p.m. when they were attacked by two men.

Brandon Smith said they had just met a woman named Cindy and were drinking four LOKO with her behind Sundance Dental when one of the men jumped out from behind a bush and attacked them.

He said he saw the man pick up a rock and throw it at his brother, who ducked. His bother then attacked the man as another man jumped out of the bushes and started fighting the two brothers.

At that point, Brandon Smith said, Cindy pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest. It turned out that she had not extended the knife so there was no wound.

Brandon Smith said he then saw Cindy stab his brother in the chest, causing him to fall down. He said he tried to get to his brother but the two men at first kept pushing him away even when he told the two that his brother was bleeding. Their response: “Who cares?”

The two men and Cindy eventually walked away and Brandon Smith rushed to his brother’s aid. His brother was pronounced dead at the scene a half hour later.

He described the two men as being Native American, between 5’7″ and 5’9″ tall. They were both thin and had short shaved hair. One was wearing a white tank top and the other man may have been wearing a gray shirt. One of the men was wearing glasses with duct tape wrapped around the frame.

Cindy apparently didn’t give the Smith brothers her last name. She was described as being between 5’4″ to 5’5″ tall, average build, with long hair tied up in a pony tail. She was wearing a tank top or a spaghetti strap, blue jeans, Convers shoes and had a brown backpack.

During her talks with the two brothers, she indicated that she lived somewhere in the area where the attack occurred.

Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to contact the Gallup Police Department at 505-863-9365.

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