Body thrown off cliff after Gallup crime spree
GALLUP, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico man is facing a federal charge after a violent crime spree that culminated in a body thrown off of a cliff in Gallup. The 30-year-old man, Rydell Happy, has been accused of second-degree murder and faces up to life in prison if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 24, the first victim got picked up by a white SUV that had three men and one woman inside. The victim paid the group $20 to get a ride into town. When the suspects asked the victim for more money and the victim declined, they were ordered to get out of the car and were then shot in the leg.
At around 10 p.m. that same day, the Navajo Nation Police Department (NNPD) was called out to a family who had their vehicle followed, rear-ended, and shot at while traveling south on Highway 491. Based on a description provided by the victims, officers located a white SUV with three suspects inside. As NNPD followed the vehicle, the suspects threw items out of the car and tried to evade the officers. The suspects eventually crashed the SUV and were taken into custody.
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During an interview with one of the suspects, police learned that the group had shot and killed a man after the rear-ending incident. According to the interview, the victim was driving, Happy was in the passenger seat, and the other two suspects were in the back of the SUV. The interviewee explained that Happy and the driver began to argue.
According to the suspect’s interview, Happy made everyone get out of the vehicle, told the driver to get on his knees, shot him, beat him with a baseball bat, and then ordered the suspect to throw the driver’s body over the edge of a cliff. The suspect stated that Happy threw the gun and the baseball bat out of the window while being followed by NNPD.
Officials have not released the names of the other suspects involved or the name of the man who was killed. According to the suspect’s interview, “the group participated in criminal activity at the direction of Happy.”
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