Two Navajo Nation members have been sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms for the 2021 hate-motivated murder of a transgender woman on tribal land in Arizona. The sentences follow guilty pleas to second-degree murder and mark a sobering moment in the ongoing crisis of violence against transgender individuals, particularly in Indigenous communities.
Isiah Adam Smith, 25, of Leupp, Arizona, was sentenced on July 28, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 324 months in prison. His co-defendant, Trevor Joe Begay, 24, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced earlier on September 23, 2024, to 365 months in prison after also pleading guilty to second-degree murder.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Smith and Begay targeted the victim specifically because she was transgender. The two men had communicated with her online, during which she disclosed her gender identity. In response, Smith and Begay decided to “teach the victim a lesson.”
On or around June 11, 2021, they arranged to meet her late at night. When she entered their vehicle, they took her cell phone to prevent her from calling for help. They then drove her into the remote desert and beat her to death.
In an effort to destroy evidence and conceal their crimes, Smith and Begay burned their bloody clothing and the victim’s phone. The next morning, a hiker discovered the victim’s body.
The murder occurred within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation. Both Smith and Begay are enrolled members of the tribe, and because the crime took place on tribal land and involved Native American individuals, it was prosecuted in federal court under the Major Crimes Act.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Phoenix and Flagstaff Indian Country squads in coordination with the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, based in Phoenix, led the prosecution.
While both defendants have now been held accountable in court, the case stands as a grim reminder of the dangers transgender people continue to face, especially transgender women of color and Indigenous trans women, who remain among the most vulnerable to hate-driven violence.
The sentencing of Smith and Begay closes one chapter of a tragic case, but it also raises a continued call for awareness, justice, and systemic change. Transgender lives deserve safety, respect, and protection under the law.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, confidential support is available through the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.
