Zuni Pueblo Member Pleads Guilty in July 4 Crash That Killed Three

Willis Kylestewa, a 42-year-old enrolled member of Zuni Pueblo, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Feb. 26, 2026, in connection with a July 4, 2025 motor vehicle crash that killed three passengers. The plea was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and resolves the federal case against Kylestewa.

The crash that prompted the federal prosecution occurred on July 4, 2025 and resulted in three fatalities among vehicle occupants. Prosecutors in the District of New Mexico pursued charges that tied Kylestewa to that incident; the U.S. Attorney’s Office issued the public notice of the plea on Feb. 26, 2026. The filing and plea were made in federal court for the District of New Mexico.

Kylestewa’s status as an enrolled member of Zuni Pueblo was recorded in the court announcement accompanying the Feb. 26 plea. Zuni Pueblo is within the region served by McKinley County law enforcement and tribal authorities, and the case drew attention from local residents because of the holiday date of the crash and the number of lives lost on July 4, 2025.

Federal jurisdiction in the matter placed the case under the supervision of the U.S. Attorney’s Office rather than the state court system. The announcement from the District of New Mexico on Feb. 26, 2026 confirmed the guilty plea but did not list a sentencing date in its summary notice; sentencing procedures and any restitution or federal penalties will follow federal sentencing rules and scheduling in the District of New Mexico court.

The plea on Feb. 26, 2026 concludes the federal criminal phase of the matter involving Kylestewa and the July 4, 2025 crash that killed three passengers, while local tribal and county authorities remain involved for ancillary investigations or community response. Residents of Zuni Pueblo and McKinley County seeking information about court scheduling or filings can consult the federal court clerk’s office for the District of New Mexico for dates and docket entries related to the case.