TEMPE

Death penalty sought for man

accused of fatally stabbing
girlfriend in Tempe
Chelsea Curtis
Arizona Republic
Published 2:28 p.m. MT Feb. 4, 2022 Updated 9:22 a.m. MT Feb. 7, 2022

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office plans to seek the death penalty against
Mason Nez, who last April was captured on surveillance footage stabbing his 23-
year-old girlfriend to death in Tempe.

Nez, who was also 23 years old at the time, was charged on suspicion of first-degree
murder, kidnapping and making a false report to police, according to the Maricopa
County Superior Court website. He entered a not guilty plea to all charges on May
12, online court documents show. 

The Office on Jan. 6 filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Nez if
he's convicted of first-degree murder. Office spokesperson Jennifer Liewer
provided The Arizona Republic with a copy of the notice on Friday but offered no
additional comments since the case remained active. 

Nez's trial was tentatively scheduled for Nov. 13, 2023, the court's website shows.
Lisa Gray, who is listed as Nez's attorney, did not immediately respond to The
Republic's inquiries. 

Details of fatal stabbing

Tammy Begay was described by her sister, Stephanie Begay, as outdoorsy and
outgoing. 

She was close to receiving a certification in dental hygiene but her life was
cut short in the early hours of April 18, 2021, when she was beat and then stabbed
to death at an apartment complex in Tempe. 

The incident was captured on surveillance footage inside the complex's clubhouse.

Tempe police previously said Nez and Tammy Begay were hanging out with another
couple in the clubhouse for several hours before the stabbing. When the other
couple left, Nez began beating and then stabbing Tammy Begay with a pocket knife,
according to police. 

They arrived to find Nez holding Tammy Begay against his chest, police said. She
was described as almost unrecognizable with numerous injuries to her hands,
fingers and face. 

Tempe police did not indicate what they believed caused Nez to stab Tammy Begay.
They noted he was intoxicated and "extremely combative." 

Couple had previous contacts with police

Nez and Tammy Begay had been dating off and on for at least a year before the fatal
stabbing, her sister Stephanie Begay previously told The Republic. She described
their relationship as tumultuous, and Tempe police said the couple had previous
contacts with police in Chandler and Mesa. 

Chandler police spokesperson Zachary Waters told The Republic a third

party reported the couple in March 2020 for arguing outside an apartment. Police
at the scene learned they were arguing about a phone but indicated no assault had
occurred, according to Waters.

Mesa police four months later responded to a report of a "possible

domestic violence" between the couple at an apartment complex in Mesa, according
to a police report.

Tammy Begay at the time told police she and Nez were arguing when he began
pulling on her arm to get her out of the apartment, the report said. She said as Nez
was pulling her arm she hit her lip on a door frame, which caused a small cut, the
report said. 

Upon being asked, Tammy Begay admitted to hitting Nez in the face the previous
day, according to the report. However, Nez told police she hit him that day, the
report said.

"Both subjects described that they had been in mutual combat with the other and
did not deny possibly causing injuries the previous day," the Mesa police report
states. "Due to the fact there were no independent witnesses, conflicting stories and
both Tammy and Nez had minor injuries (possibly from the previous day), I asked
them to separate for the night."

Nez and Tammy Begay were told they could get orders of protection against each
other through the court, according to the report. It's unclear if either did so.

Navajo Nation historically against death penalty

Mesa police noted Nez and Tammy Begay were Native American but did not

indicate their affiliated tribe.

Stephanie told The Republic her sister was Navajo and their family was originally
from the Navajo Nation. Nez and Begay are also common Navajo names.

The Navajo Nation has long opposed the death penalty for Native Americans due to
religious and traditional beliefs.

The tribe consistently objected to the federal government's pursuit of the death

penalty against Lezmond Mitchell. The 38-year-old member of the Navajo Nation
was convicted in the 2003 murders of Alyce Slim, 63, and her 9-year-old
granddaughter, Tiffany Lee.
Mitchell was executed by lethal injection on Aug. 26, 2020, making him the first
Native American the federal government had executed in modern history. It also
marked the only time the federal government had sought the death penalty over the
objection of a tribe when the crime was committed on tribal land, according to
Mitchell's lawyers. 

"The Navajo Nation is respectfully requesting a commutation of the death sentence

and the imposition of a life sentence for Mr. Mitchell," Jared Touchin,
communications director for the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice
President, told The Republic at the time.

"This request honors our religious and traditional beliefs, the Navajo Nation’s long-
standing position on the death penalty for Native Americans," he continued. 

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on

Twitter @curtis_chels. 

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