Boyfriend Faces Sentencing for the Gruesome Murder of Navajo Woman

PHOENIX — Tre C. James is set to be sentenced today after being convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Jamie Yazzie, a case that has garnered significant media attention within the context of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. This movement highlights the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

James fatally shot Yazzie in the summer of 2019. At the time of her disappearance, she was a 32-year-old mother to three sons. Her remains were discovered years later in November 2021, on the Hopi reservation in northeastern Arizona, despite extensive searches in her community of Pinon.

In addition to the murder charge, James was also convicted of multiple acts of domestic violence against three former partners. Yazzie’s family, including her mother and grandmother, were present throughout the seven-day trial, underscoring the case’s emotional weight for the community.

The U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs has described violence against Indigenous women as a crisis. A 2016 study by the National Institute of Justice revealed that around 84% of Native American and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, with 56% suffering from sexual violence.

This case serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities and the urgent need for concerted efforts to address these injustices.