Friend goes to man’s house to help fix water heater, then is beaten to death, feds say

A man is going to prison after pleading guilty to beating his friend to death in New Mexico, federal officials said.

In 2022, the victim went to the home of Tyrone Atcitty Nez, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, to help him fix his water heater, according to a June 12 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

The two were drinking and “rough housing,” prosecutors said.

Eventually, the victim stood up and Nez punched his face, causing him to fall unconscious, officials said.

While he was on the ground, Nez, wearing work boots, kicked him in the face and the torso about five to 10 times, prosecutors said.

When Nez saw blood coming from the victim’s mouth, he feared he would choke so he put him on his side, officials said.

Then he went to the neighbor’s home and asked them to call 911, officials said.

Nez told Navajo officers he had punched and kicked the victim, according to the release.

The victim died at the home from head injuries, officials said.

The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt head trauma, which caused internal bleeding, fractures and brain swelling, prosecutors said.

Nez’s lawyer declined to comment when McClatchy News reached out on June 13.

Nez was sentenced to 12 years in prison, officials said.

Upon his release, he will be required to serve five years of supervised release, officials said.