Benally was booked in Beaver County on a first-degree murder suspicion after a coworker was found shot in a Milford camp trailer.

A murder booking and a probable-cause statement are accusations. They are not a conviction. Gephardt Daily and stgeorgeutah.com, citing Beaver County arrest papers, report that deputies responded about 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, to a camp trailer in Milford and found a man dead with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Benally, 53, of Ganado, Arizona, was booked on suspicion of first-degree felony murder, carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence, and public intoxication. He was ordered held without bail. Naming the charge does not decide guilt.

According to those reports of the arrest documents, coworkers said the victim and Benally had been drinking and arguing earlier, that police were called and the two were separated, and that a gunshot was heard in the early hours but was not reported then. A coworker later found the victim dead. Investigators reported deep scratch marks on the decedent and said no firearm or casings were found in the victim's trailer. Those are affidavit allegations. They are not findings.

Deputies said they found Benally at his trailer in the same park and saw him discard clothing that appeared to have blood on it about 20 yards away. After a warrant, they reported recovering multiple firearms, including a .357/.38 special revolver, and noted Benally had a black eye and scratches. The papers, as reported, say he claimed he was blackout drunk, admitted continued drinking with the decedent, and would not admit or deny the killing. A self-serving statement and a denial are evidence the parties may litigate. They are not a verdict.

stgeorgeutah.com published a Beaver County Sheriff's Office booking entry for Benally dated Sept. 30, 2026. Public reporting has not identified the victim by name in the accounts reviewed here. Benally is presumed innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise.