On October 27, 2022, 53-year-old Harris Yazzie Begay, an Indigenous man from Church Rock, New Mexico, was reported missing by his wife after he failed to return from work in the Albuquerque area. Begay was last heard from when he mentioned plans to have dinner after leaving his construction job in Rio Rancho. His wife initially reported his disappearance to the Navajo Police Department, who then directed her to contact the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.
On November 7, 2022, Begay's body was discovered in a field near Central Avenue and 122nd Street in Albuquerque. He had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. His vehicle, a 2018 grey Chevrolet Malibu, was missing at the time of the discovery.
Shortly thereafter, on October 31, 2022, deputies conducting a welfare check located Begay's vehicle being driven by 37-year-old Paul Chavez. Chavez was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia; however, these charges were later dismissed due to insufficient evidence. During the investigation, it was determined that a firearm found in a different vehicle associated with Chavez had been used in Begay's shooting.
Further investigation led to the arrest of 35-year-old Mary Helen Gurule on February 13, 2023. Surveillance footage from a Smith's and Walgreens on Coors and Central showed Gurule meeting with Chavez and later being picked up by Begay in his vehicle. The footage indicated that Gurule and Begay left the parking lot together, and within approximately 20 minutes, Gurule returned alone in Begay's car to pick up Chavez. This timeline suggested that Gurule had fatally shot Begay with the intent to steal his vehicle.
Gurule was charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and tampering with evidence. She was arrested and subsequently released on her own recognizance, with a court appearance scheduled for March 2023.
The case highlighted the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and the Albuquerque Police Department, in solving the homicide of Harris Begay. The use of surveillance footage and witness testimonies were instrumental in identifying and apprehending the suspects involved in this tragic incident.
