Taos Pueblo man pleads guilty in girlfriend's death

Yahoo

29-03-2025

A Taos Pueblo man accused of killing his girlfriend by running her over outside their home on the pueblo after a night of drinking in 2021 pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Friday.
Under the terms of his agreement with federal prosecutors, Santiago Martinez, 32, will be sentenced to no less than 10 and no more than 15 years in prison in connection with the death of 29-year-old artist DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo.
U.S. District Judge Martha Vasquez ruled Martinez will be allowed to remain out of custody until his sentencing — the date of which has not been set — based on his attorney's argument he's done well while on pretrial release and despite the pleas of Suazo's mother Geraldine Tso, who implored the judge not to let him out.
'He's already had his time being out and not taking responsibility for his actions,' Tso said in federal court in Santa Fe, adding that, as a mother, the death of her daughter had caused 'a sorrow that kills your stomach and your heart.'
The judge sided with Martinez's defense attorney Devon Fooks, who argued his client was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community and had been an 'exemplary detainee' during the approximately one year he spent in custody initially. Fooks also said his client had not been a problem while out on conditions of release for the past several years.
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Martinez, back center, emerges from federal court in Santa Fe after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Suazo's 2021 death Friday.
However, the judge told Martinez that if he messes up now, it could affect his classification when he is sent to serve his sentence in federal prison.
'You get to be outside with your family,' she reminded him. 'Ms. Suazo's family has lost their heart as a result of your actions.'
'He knew it was wrong'
Federal prosecutor Nora Wilson argued against Martinez's release Friday. She said he would be more likely to flee now that he's certain to face a long prison sentence and noted not violating the conditions of release was something expected of defendants released before a trial, not something that met the requirements that he prove 'exceptional' circumstances justified his presentence release.
Fooks countered the 'reality' is many pretrial detainees, especially those like Martinez who have substance abuse issues, struggle to maintain their sobriety while on pretrial release.
Particularly remarkable, Fooks argued, was that Martinez hadn't relapsed during the time he was incarcerated at the Cibola County Correctional Center which, Fooks said, 'we can all agree is rife with narcotics.'
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Danielle Suazo, right, is comforted by Julie Anzara following the guilty plea of Santiago Martinez in the death of DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo in federal court in Santa Fe on Friday.
Martinez initially had been indicted on a charge of second-degree murder, which requires a finding of an unprovoked intent to kill, versus manslaughter, which involves mitigating circumstances such as a 'sudden quarrel' that provokes a person to anger.
Martinez — a slight young man with closely cropped hair and black gauges in his ears — said almost nothing during the hearing, giving brief answers to the judge's questions regarding his education (high school) and his understanding of his plea.
Fooks declined to comment on Martinez's behalf Friday.
Martinez told investigators at the time he and Suazo were listening to music in her vehicle when he went inside the residence to put wood on the fire. He said he then came back out to find her body on the ground.
Martinez initially denied killing Suazo but told an FBI agent during a follow-up interview 'he was the one who hurt her,' according to a criminal complaint.
Martinez told the agent Suazo wanted to leave and he did not want her to leave, according to the complaint, but he 'was angry and got in the car and pressed on the gas and hit her.'
He said the couple — who had been dating for 10 years, according to the complaint — had consumed beers and tequila shots and smoked marijuana leading up to the incident.
Suazo's body had multiple injuries, with signs of blunt force trauma to her head, broken ribs, bruising, lacerations and what appeared to be an injury 'which could be consistent with a vehicle tire being left on her chest,' according to the complaint.
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Tony Abeyta carries a picture of his goddaughter, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, outside federal court in Santa Fe on Friday. Santiago Martinez pleaded guilty Friday in her death.
Wilson repeated a pared-down version of those facts when reading out the factual basis for the plea, saying the altercation happened around 3 a.m. Nov. 13, 2021, at the couple's shared residence on Taos Pueblo and that Martinez had become so enraged he'd pulled an earring from Suazo's ear prior to getting behind the wheel of her SUV and running her over.
'He knew what he was doing,' Wilson said. 'He knew it was wrong.'
'Justice for DeAnna'
Suazo — the daughter of Navajo artist Geraldine Tso and Taos Pueblo painter David Gary Suazo — was considered a rising star in the contemporary Native American art world.
Family members and friends — including several Taos Pueblo officials and Suazo's godfather, noted Navajo artist Tony Abeyta — packed the courtroom Friday.
Several supporters wore ribbon skirts and purple T-shirts from the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women printed with the phrase, 'Safety is a Community Responsibility.'
Supporters also gathered in Federal Park before and after the hearing holding posters reading 'Justice for DeAnna.' They also created a display outside the doors of the courthouse — to the chagrin of security guards — featuring photographs of Suazo, newspaper clippings and copies of her work, including colorful anime-inspired drawing of Native women on ledger paper.
Suazo's father David Suazo said prior to the hearing he was aware of the terms of the plea but declined to say how he felt about it, saying he'd been advised by attorneys not to comment until Martinez had been sentenced.
David Suazo said the family was thankful for the outpouring of support they'd received following his daughter's death, saying the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women had been by their side 'since day one.'
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David Gary Suazo arranges large pictures of DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo outside federal court in Santa Fe on Friday, March 28, 2025.
Those who gathered outside the courthouse Friday were there not just to support his daughter, David Suazo said.
'We are speaking out for all Native American women who have been abused,' he said.
FaraHNHeight Fine Art gallery director Gregory Farah — whose gallery carried Suazo's art prior to her death — walked out of the courtroom when the judge ruled in favor of Martinez's release.
He didn't mince words when asked his opinion of the outcome of the case following the hearing Friday, saying he was 'extremely disappointed.'
'When the judge started congratulating him for doing good pretrial, that was disgusting to me,' Farah said.
'She didn't need to do that. I thought it was totally inappropriate. I wanted to stand up and scream.'