Shiprock man pleads guilty to stabbing aunt to death

• Tavor Tom pleaded guilty on Nov. 24 to second-degree murder in Albuquerque federal court, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.
• The aunt is not identified in court documents, listing only her birth year of 1974.
• Tom could face up to sentence of life in prison at a future sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled.

FARMINGTON — A Shiprock man could face up to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering his aunt then stealing her vehicle in an attempt to shoplift Mucinex.

Tavor Tom pleaded guilty on Nov. 24 to second-degree murder in Albuquerque federal court, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The then-18-year-old defendant was arrested on July 3, 2019, by FBI special agents in Farmington. No age was listed in the DOJ's Nov. 24 press release.

The aunt is not identified in court documents, listing only her birth year of 1974.

Tom confessed to the murder during a July 3, 2019, interview with an FBI special agent at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington.

Tom went to his aunt’s house on the night of July 2, 2019, which is east of a dental clinic in Shiprock along U.S. Highway 491.

He stabbed her multiple times in her chest, back and neck area along with slitting her throat in a bedroom of the residence, according to The Daily Times archives.

Tom stole her Jeep SUV then drove it to the west side Walmart in Farmington and shoplifted Mucinex cold medicine.

Tom’s mother told investigators he took the cold medicine to get high and that he was addicted to it.

He later crashed the SUV into a church fence in the Nenahnezad area. Tom was found in the vehicle and transported to the hospital.

A knife with a substance believed to be blood was found on the passenger-side floorboard of the SUV.

He confessed to the murder again in a Nov. 24 plea agreement filed in federal court.

Tom could face up to sentence of life in prison at a future sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled. 

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

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