Pueblo man charged in connection with woman's brutal death

Tuesday, February 7, 2012  

A man from Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico has been charged in connection with the death of a woman from the Navajo Nation.

Gavin Yepa, 26, was indicted on a charge of sexual assault resulting in death. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Federal authorities say Yepa assaulted Lynette Becenti, 36, at his home on the reservation on December 29, 2011. Members of her family say they are still shocked by the brutal nature of the crime.

"Still I wake up in the middle of the night and I find myself hopping I'm waking from a nightmare," the victim's sister, Naya Yazzie, told KOAT-TV.

Get the Story:
Family Struggles To Move On After Brutal Killing (KOAT-TV 2/3)

Relevant Documents:
Press Release | Complaint: US v. Yepa