Bernalillo, New Mexico – Unconditional love. That’s what Vangie Randall Shorty felt the moment she held her son for the first time. She still feels that way – even though Zachariah Shorty is gone now.
“I carry him in my heart every day,” she said, as she tried to find the words to describe the wave of emotions that swept through her Monday when she learned that federal authorities had charged three people in connection with the 2020 Navajo killing of her son.
She had waited so long for answers, telling herself with each new year that she would finally see justice for her 23-year-old son. Her wait ended when the US Department of Justice announced the results of the latest publication under it The process is unforgettable.
As part of the operation this year, more than 60 additional FBI agents, analysts and other staff were temporarily assigned to field offices in 10 states, ranging from Albuquerque, Phoenix, to Seattle, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Minneapolis and Jackson, Mississippi. Over the course of six months, they investigated unsolved violent crimes in Indian Country with the goal of addressing them A crisis of disappearances and murders Which left Native American communities frustrated and heartbroken.
Federal statistics show that Native Americans face some of the highest rates of violent victimization per capita of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. At the beginning of fiscal year 2025, the FBI India Program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including more than 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual assault investigations.
As part of its intensified operations this year, CBI initiatives in India have arrested 1,123 people, along with recovering more than 300 weapons. More than 450 children who were victims of crimes were identified or located.
FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged Monday that the challenge of covering such large jurisdictions is complicated by a lack of resources. He described Operation Not Forgotten as a “huge step forward” in giving tribal communities the justice they deserve.
The work to draw more attention to the crisis has spanned decades. President Donald Trump was the first president to officially acknowledge the issue when He signed an executive order during his first termand creating a task force to address the high rate of killings and disappearances among Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Former US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland during her term Established a national committee To explore ways to bridge jurisdictional gaps and other challenges to reducing crime in tribal communities.
Officials said this year’s operation represents the longest and most intensive deployment of FBI resources to date to address crime in Indian Country.
Proponents say the investment should be permanent. They now fear cases will continue to sit on the back burner with fewer federal resources in the field.
Randall Shorty believes the additional resources helped her son’s case.
She can’t help but wonder what her son might have achieved if he hadn’t been killed. Zachariah Shorty had a father who loved art and music and aspired to become a tattoo artist. She showed some of his work, pointing to the inked treble clef on her left hand.
Shorty was last seen at the Journey Inn in the northwestern New Mexico city of Farmington, where he was out making music with friends, his mother said. He was found days later in a field near the Navajo community of Ninahnizad. He’s been shot multiple times.
The indictments do not provide any details about what may have prompted the shooting or how Shorty was connected to the people charged in his death. Defense lawyers say they have not yet obtained any discovery related to the case.
Austin Begay, 31, is charged with first-degree murder, while James Fagg, 38, is charged with aiding and abetting. Both Navajo men and a third defendant, 40-year-old Joshua Watkins, face charges of lying to investigators to cover up the murder.
Shorty’s mother has spent the past five years attending town halls, task force meetings, prayer circles and community walks to keep the issue in the spotlight and to advocate for other families. While she is happy to press charges, she knows the next step will bring up more emotions because she still misses her son.
“My heart is heavy,” she said. “But I will continue to stand up for Zach and continue to be his voice.”