Elder's attacker freed on anniversary of her disappearance

Five years after Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay vanished, Preston Tolth, who confessed to robbing and assaulting her, has been released from federal prison. Tolth pleaded guilty to robbing Begay and was sentenced to five years, but received credit for time served and good conduct, resulting in his early release on June 16, 2026. Begay's family, expecting him to serve until 2028, expressed profound shock and called the release a 'slap in the face.'

Begay, a 62-year-old weaver and grandmother, disappeared from her home on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Tolth admitted to stealing her truck with her inside, repeatedly punching her, and leaving her on the roadside, potentially fatally. However, his confession was ruled inadmissible. The Bureau of Prisons stated Tolth's release was calculated according to federal law, which does not obligate notification of victims' families.

Begay's case has become symbolic of the crisis of violence against Indigenous people, with many cases receiving little to no attention. Despite Tolth's planned release, Begay has never been found. He is mandated to spend six months in a halfway house and will be supervised for three years.