Preston Tolth, the last person known to have seen Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay alive, has been accused of burglary in an unrelated incident. Tolth, 27, was arrested by Phoenix police after a call about a home break-in. He was found wearing clothing matching the suspect’s description and carrying a pocket knife.
Background
Tolth was previously convicted in connection with Begay’s 2021 disappearance. He acknowledged stealing her truck, beating her, and leaving her on the side of the road. Begay, a weaver and grandmother of nine, has never been found. Her case has become emblematic of the heartache felt across Indian Country when loved ones go missing or are killed.
Tolth was released from federal prison in June, five years to the day Begay vanished, and two years earlier than his sentence was scheduled to end. He was sent to a transitional housing facility in Phoenix and was not to commit any additional crimes while on supervised release. He also was barred from possessing dangerous weapons.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona is aware of Tolth’s arrest, and there is a process for handling violations. Tolth’s public defender in the federal case did not respond to a request for comment.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
