ARIZONA, USA — Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
Federal authorities have arrested a suspect accused of murdering a Navajo woman who disappeared in 2019.
Tre C. James, 30, of Pinon was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of murdering Jamie Yazzie, who was reported missing in June 2019. She was last seen in the area of Pinon, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
Yazzie's remains were found in November 2021 on the Hopi Reservation in northern Arizona.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of Arizona says James allegedly fatally shot Yazzie and is suspected of committing several domestic violence crimes.
James has been indicted on several criminal charges including first-degree murder, suffocation, strangling, kidnapping, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The defendant is scheduled to have a court hearing on Aug. 9 in Flagstaff.
Prosecutors say James' arrest is an example of their commitment to "addressing the persistent violence endured by Native American families and communities in the state of Arizona."
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Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.