Man pleads guilty to killing beloved Taos Pueblo artist
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man has pleaded guilty to a charge in the killing of DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a beloved artist from Taos Pueblo.
Santiago Martinez pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter for his girlfriend’s death in November 2021. Court records show a late-night argument led to Martinez running Suazo over with her SUV.
“Although Martinez had consumed alcohol, he acknowledged being aware of his actions and their wrongfulness at the time of the incident,” stated the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Mexico.
Martinez faces 10-15 years in prison. Once they release him, he will have at least three years of supervised release.
Suazo was the daughter of Navajo artist Geraldine Tso and Taos Pueblo painter David Gary Suazo. She was an up-and-coming artist who received acclaim for “celebrating her Indigenous heritage through figural paintings of strong Indigenous women, blending traditional and contemporary styles with inspiration from Japanese manga.”
Suazo’s work has been exhibited at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery. She is one of 60 different Indigenous artists who painted rooms at the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque.
About her room, Suazo said, “Today we stand strong, and Taos Pueblo will always be the home I return to.”
Suazo was 29 years old.
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