A Navajo man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with a fatal stabbing that occurred in Shiprock, New Mexico, in 2021.
Marc Clark, 46, entered his plea on August 3, following an indictment on November 17, 2021. The victim in the case was 29-year-old Christopher Tom.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on October 14, 2021, at a gas station in Shiprock. Clark and Tom were among four people who had driven to the gas station to fill up a gas can.
After Tom went inside the store to pay for the gas, Clark got into an argument with Tom’s girlfriend. Clark reportedly tried to forcibly remove the woman from the vehicle, slapping and punching her through an open window.
The driver of the vehicle pulled away from the scene, leaving Clark behind. When Tom returned from the store, he confronted Clark about the argument. Clark then pulled out a knife and stabbed Tom in the neck.
Tom was rushed to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. Clark was arrested a short time later.
As part of his plea agreement, Clark faces a sentence of 23 to 27 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2023.
The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort between the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI and the Navajo Police Department.