2 New Mexico men plead guilty to fatally beating victim with baseball bat over backpack

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. (TCD) — Two men face up to 15 years in prison after recently pleading guilty to the 2022 beating death of a victim over a stolen backpack in Indian Country.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced Monday, Feb. 5, that 20-year-old Landen Toledo pleaded guilty in federal court to the voluntary manslaughter of a victim who was only identified as John Doe. His co-conspirator, 19-year-old Cole Ray Shorty, also pleaded guilty to the same charge late last month. A third suspect, Keon Apachito, is awaiting trial.

In May 2022, Toledo, Shorty, and Apachito went to John Doe’s home because Shortly believed the victim had stolen his backpack. According to Toledo’s plea agreement, he “accompanied Shorty only to verbally confront John Doe with no intention to use force or violence.”

The group reportedly approached John Doe in his car, and Shorty opened one of the vehicle doors to search for his missing backpack. John Doe exited his car with a baseball bat and a knife, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

In his plea agreement, Toledo said he believed John Doe intended to swing the bat at him, so he grabbed the victim by the wrists and shoved him to the ground before kicking him in the stomach repeatedly. After a struggle, John Doe reportedly dropped the baseball bat, and Shorty picked it up and swung it at his head, hitting him. The other people in the group struck the victim with a golf club and “stomped on his leg,” according to the plea agreement.

John Doe reportedly fell and attempted to crawl to safety, but Shorty struck John Doe in the head a second time with the golf club. The group left while John Doe remained unconscious on the ground.

The medical examiner later determined the victim died of blunt force head trauma.

According to the district attorney’s office, Shorty and Toledo remain in custody pending their sentencing hearings, which have not yet been set. Apachito also remains in custody pending his trial, which is scheduled for June 10.

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