'Still nowhere to be found': Family grieves after sentencing in missing Navajo woman case

A federal judge approved a plea deal sentencing Preston Henry Tolth to five years in prison for robbing Ella Mae Begay, a 62-year-old Navajo woman who disappeared from her home near Sweetwater, Arizona, in June 2021. Tolth, who pleaded guilty, received credit for three years already served, with prosecutors dropping an assault charge and agreeing not to pursue further charges related to Begay’s disappearance. Begay, a respected rug weaver and grandmother, vanished after her 2005 Ford F-150 truck was seen leaving her residence early on June 15, 2021. Authorities suspect the vehicle traveled toward Thoreau, New Mexico, or Albuquerque, though no trace of Begay has been found. Her case has become a symbol of the broader crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. The plea deal came after a judge threw out Tolth’s confession due to FBI questioning violations, a decision upheld by an appeals court. Prosecutors stated the agreement was the strongest possible outcome without the confession. Begay’s family, including her niece Seraphine Warren and son Gerald Begay, criticized the deal, calling it insufficient and urging Tolth to reveal Begay’s whereabouts. Navajo Nation officials confirmed the search for Begay will continue, despite the sentencing. The FBI reiterated its appeal for anyone with information about the case to contact local authorities or the nearest embassy or consulate. The case remains unsolved, leaving Begay’s relatives devastated and demanding justice.