ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The niece of a Navajo Nation woman who was reported missing two years ago is now facing federal charges related to kidnapping.
Seraphine Warren gained national attention when she trekked more than 2,000 miles from Arizona to Washington D.C. all to raise awareness about her aunt's disappearance. Ella Mae Begay was reported missing in June 2021 and has still yet to be found.
Warren spoke with 12News multiple times as she made her journey. She was disappointed with law enforcement's search efforts which led to her wanting to raise awareness on her own.
However, newly released federal documents out of New Mexico District court reveal months before Begay was reported missing, Warren and three other suspects were allegedly involved in a kidnapping.
The document claims Warren, her husband, sister, and brother-in-law kidnapped and beat a man who is only identified as John Doe in those documents and held him for ransom.
It claims Warren found the victim through Facebook. Then with the assistance of her co-conspirators went to his Arizona home on April first. The document alleges the suspects brought handcuffs, a metal baton, two paintball guns and a Glock handgun.
All four entered the home and assaulted the victim. The document claims Warren hit him over the head, then shot him with the paintball guns.
From there, prosecutors claim they handcuffed the victim and drove him to New Mexico. For some reason that isn't revealed in the documents, they let the man go in Farmington, New Mexico.
This all reportedly happened a few months before Begay disappeared. Former special agent with the FBI Michael E. Anderson said is raises questions on if there is a connection between both cases.
“That's the million dollar question," Anderson said. “There aren't enough details to know at this time because we don't know who John Doe is and the government is keeping that in their back pocket, so to speak, for case related reasons.”
Back in April, an arrest was made in the Begay case. Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico was charged with assault and car-jacking. The indictment alleges Tolth assaulted Begay and stole her truck.
Authorities have still not been able to locate Begay.
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