Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane said Bureau of Indian Affair officials arrested Jeroen Begay, 19, of Cortez in Kayenta, Ariz., early Friday morning. Begay was wanted in connection with a shooting death that occurred around 10:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, at the Cedar Terrace Apartments that left one woman dead and a teenager injured.<\/p>\n
Officials have seized a 12-gauge shotgun they believe was used to kill Natalie Hatch, 21, and injure Quincy Yellow, 18, both of Towaoc, Lane added.<\/p>\n
In custody, Begay was en route from Arizona to Cortez as of Friday afternoon. He is facing both murder and attempted murder charges, Lane said.<\/p>\n
Yellow has been released from a Grand Junction hospital, but the extent of his injuries remains unknown, Lane said.<\/p>\n
He added it was too early to speculate on a motive for the shooting.<\/p>\n
In an unrelated homicide, police arrested Valerie Espinoza, 38, of Cortez late Thursday, Sept. 19, in connection to a stabbing death earlier that morning on the 200 block of S. Madison Street. Espinoza was charged with murder after 62-year-old Charles Chavez of Cortez died from being stabbed in the upper torso with a long-blade kitchen knife, Lane said.<\/p>\n
Officials remain unsure of the motive in the case.<\/p>\n