Pueblo Pintado Man Receives Seven Years for Fatal Shooting

Thurman Curley received a seven-year prison sentence on May 6, 2026, for the fatal shooting of another man in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

The sentence applies to one defendant and one victim. Curley, a resident of Pueblo Pintado, shot the victim after a night of heavy drinking that escalated into a physical altercation, per the DOJ release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

The new state replaces the prior status of a convicted defendant awaiting final punishment. The seven-year term of imprisonment takes effect immediately upon sentencing, with no earlier release date specified in the release.

The prison term will require the Federal Bureau of Prisons to designate a facility and begin counting time served toward the seven-year total. Upon completion, Curley faces a period of supervised release that imposes conditions on movement, reporting, and prohibited conduct.

The judgment also stands as precedent for sentencing ranges applied to manslaughter or second-degree murder convictions arising from alcohol-fueled disputes on or near Navajo Nation lands, where federal jurisdiction covers major crimes. No restitution amount or fine beyond standard assessments was detailed in the release.

This marks the latest resolution of a violent crime prosecuted in the District of New Mexico under federal statutes that assign the U.S. Attorney’s Office responsibility for felony cases involving Native American defendants or victims in Indian Country. The original charging documents and trial record are not detailed in the May 6 release.