A Newcomb man has plead guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 2021 incident in which a man was stabbed to death.
According to court documents, Leighton Spencer, 31, was drinking at his residence with another man when the victim began fighting with his girlfriend. Then Spencer, a member of the Navajo Nation, and the victim got into an argument that soon became physical. At some point after that, the victim pulled out a knife and stabbed Spencer in the forearm multiple times.
Spencer then took the knife from him and stabbed the victim. A stab wound to the neck damaged a vein and artery which caused the victim to bleed to death.
Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced on March 6 that Spencer pleaded guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter. Spencer was placed on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
At sentencing, Spencer faces up to 8 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
