U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Second Superseding Indictment, Bringing Additional Kidnapping and Assault Charges Against Serial Murderer, Kidnapper, and Sexual Abuser Labar Tsethlikai

Friday, December 20, 2024

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Federal prosecutors have filed six additional charges against Labar Tsethlikai for kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon. The additional charges are part of a larger series of violent crimes committed by Tsethlikai against Native American men across New Mexico between 2022 and 2024. The added charges correspond to 5 additional victims.

Labar Tsethlikai, 51, an enrolled Member of Zuni Pueblo, now faces a 17-count second superseding indictment charging him with five additional counts of kidnapping and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon as follows:

Count 5: Kidnapping of John Doe 3 on or about May 19, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico
Count 11: Kidnapping of John Doe 6 on or about August 24, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico
Count 12: Assault with a dangerous weapon (baseball bat) against John Doe 6 on or about August 24, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico
Count 13: Kidnapping of John Doe 7 on or about September 7, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico
Count 14: Kidnapping of John Doe 8 on or about September 15, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico
Count 16: Kidnapping of John Doe 10 on or about April 5, 2024, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico

In total, the second superseding indictment identifies 11 victims of Tsethlikai. The investigation is ongoing.

Tsethlikai was initially charged with second degree murder on April 25, 2024. On July 31, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Tsethlikai in an 11-count superseding indictment with two counts of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree felony murder, four counts of kidnapping, one count assault with intent to commit murder, one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of aggravated sexual abuse:

Count 1: On October 22, 2022, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped and murdered John Doe 1.
Count 2: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly murdered John Doe 2 willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation.
Count 3: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly killed John Doe 2 during the commission of a kidnapping and sexual abuse.
Count 4: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 2 and death resulted.
Count 6: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 4.
Count 7: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly assaulted John Doe 4 with the specific intent to commit murder.
Count 8: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly assaulted John Doe 4, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
Count 9: On July 13, 2023, Tsethlikai kidnapped John Doe 5.
Count 10: On July 13, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly sexually abused John Doe 5 by force and threats, and the sexual act consisted of contact between the penis of Tsethlikai and the mouth of John Doe 5.
Count 15: On February 16, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 9 using interstate facilities and instrumentalities.
Count 17: On April 11, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 11 using interstate facilities and instrumentalities.

If convicted, Tsethlikai faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the kidnapping resulting in death and first-degree murder charges, up to twenty years imprisonment on the assault with intent to murder charge, up to ten years imprisonment on the assault resulting in serious bodily injury charge, and any number of years up to life for the kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse charges.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, led by Special Agent Mark Stephenson, is investigating this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes Unit, and Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Mark A. Probasco are prosecuting the case, with victim support provided by the FBI’s Victim Services Division, the United States Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit, and Utah Navajo Health Systems, Inc., Victim Services.

The FBI continues to investigate Tsethlikai’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Tsethlikai, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

Labar Tsethlikai is approximately 5’7” and weighs 180 pounds. He is heavyset, has short brown hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses. He sometimes wears a gold bracelet. He is from Zuni, but travels extensively around New Mexico, including Gallup, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. He is believed to work in the Native American jewelry industry and may be a Zuni jewely artist.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.

View the Second Superseding Indictment (Tsethlikai).pdf

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