DURANGO — A 23-year-old man was sentenced to more than 25 years in federal prison Tuesday for a murder and an assault that occurred on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation last year.
U.S. District Chief Judge Edward W. Nottingham sentenced Roybal Whiteman and ordered that he start serving the prison term immediately.
In February, Whiteman agreed to plead guilty to the Nov. 5 second- degree murder of Tracy Lynn King, a fellow Ute Mountain Ute member. Whiteman had accused King of stealing his beer and fired a pistol at her. She was struck in the chest and abdomen and died.
He also pleaded guilty to the Dec. 29 stabbing of Delamar May on the reservation. May was stabbed in the back, stomach, left forearm and wrist but survived.
“My heart goes out to Tracy King’s family and to Delamar May,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Eid. “This office won’t rest — ever — until justice is done for the people of Towaoc and the entire Ute Mountain nation.”
