Man convicted of Durango woman’s death gets 48 years to life

DURANGO, Colo. — A man convicted of sexually assaulting a Durango woman who died after the abuse nearly a decade ago has been sentenced to 48 years to life in prison.

The Durango Herald reports (https://goo.gl/BSW3nj ) Harold Nakai, of Shiprock, New Mexico, was sentenced Monday for the 2007 death of his girlfriend, 34-year-old Nicole Leigh Redhorse. He was one of three men who served large amounts of vodka to the woman before having sex with her at a motel.

The other men, Derrick Begaye and Carlton Yazzie, are serving 48-year prison terms after being found guilty in 2008 of criminally negligent homicide and sexual assault.

Nakai was convicted of the same charges, but an appeals court granted him a new trial last year after finding that some of his statements to police were made involuntarily.

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Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com