On December 9, 1999, Officer Tenney Gatewood, Jr., a 38-year-old male member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, was shot and killed while on duty in the vicinity of Hawley Lake on the White Mountain Apache Tribe reservation. A dedicated officer with nine years of service to the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police, he was responding to a report of a burglary at a local store.
Officer Gatewood had stopped a vehicle he believed to be connected to the burglary. Inside were Frank Monte Banashley Sr. and his son, who are also members of the tribe. As Officer Gatewood was speaking with the elder Banashley, the son exited the vehicle and a struggle ensued, forcing the officer to the ground. It was at this point that Frank Monte Banashley Sr. fatally shot Officer Gatewood in the head.
Following the shooting, the father and son fled into the nearby woods, prompting an extensive manhunt. Their freedom was short-lived, as they were apprehended approximately eight hours later. Both were subsequently convicted for their roles in the murder of Officer Gatewood. Frank Monte Banashley Sr. pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 42-year prison sentence, while his son was sentenced to nine years for his involvement.
