Judge Rejects Plea Deal in Missing Navajo Elder Case

Ella Mae Begay's family pleads for information on her whereabouts as suspect faces trial

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:18am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a set of car keys and a small, cracked rearview mirror against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the physical evidence in the Ella Mae Begay disappearance case.The physical evidence in the Ella Mae Begay disappearance case evokes a sense of loss and unanswered questions.Phoenix Today

A federal judge in Phoenix has rejected a plea agreement that would have allowed a man who admitted to beating a Navajo elder, Ella Mae Begay, and leaving her for dead to avoid more prison time. Preston Henry Tolth, 26, now faces trial on charges of carjacking and assault related to Begay's 2021 disappearance, which has not been resolved nearly five years later.

Why it matters

Begay's case has received national attention and helped highlight the broader crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. The judge's rare rejection of the plea deal came after anguished testimony from Begay's family, who urged Tolth to reveal her location.

The details

Tolth initially denied involvement but later confessed to stealing Begay's truck with her in it, punching her repeatedly, and leaving her on the side of the road. He then sold the truck for money and drugs. Prosecutors said a previous ruling suppressing Tolth's confession weakened their case, leading them to propose the plea deal, but Begay's family opposed it.

  • Ella Mae Begay was reported missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona in June 2021.
  • Tolth was set to face trial in 2024, but a judge ruled his confession inadmissible.
  • The rejected plea deal would have sentenced Tolth to 3 years time served.

The players

Preston Henry Tolth

A 26-year-old man who admitted to beating Ella Mae Begay and leaving her for dead, before selling her stolen truck for money and drugs.

Ella Mae Begay

A Navajo elder who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona in June 2021. Her disappearance has not been resolved nearly 5 years later.

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What’s next

A trial date has not yet been set for Tolth, who now faces charges of carjacking and assault related to Begay's disappearance.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable and providing closure for victims' families, even when evidence is limited.