Curfew issued for San Carlos Apache community: Here's what to know
PHOENIX - Police with the San Carlos Apache Tribe say one of their communities has been placed under curfew.
Here's what to know.
What happened?
According to a statement posted on San Carlos Apache Police Department's social media page on March 14, a temporary curfew was approved by the Tribal Council for the community of Bylas, from March 17 to March 29.
Big picture view:
According to an excerpt of the curfew order that was posted by San Carlos Police, the curfew for Bylas will be in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. every day during the aforementioned time period. An exception will be given for essential activities, which include work and health care.
Officials also said there will be "zero tolerance for weapons of any kind."
Where is Bylas?
Bylas is a community located along US 70 within the San Carlos Apache Indian community, about 45 miles to the east of Globe.
Why was a curfew issued for Bylas?
According to a statement we received from San Carlos Apache Police, the decision to place Bylas under curfew was made in response to the murders that have taken place in that are in recent days.
"While all three suspects connected to those incidents have been identified and arrested, the safety of the community remains the highest priority," read a portion of the statement. "The temporary curfew is intended to help stabilize the situation, provide additional time for law enforcement to maintain a strong presence in the area, and give residents reassurance that proactive steps are being taken to protect the community."
Dig deeper:
On their Facebook page, San Carlos Apache Police mentioned two murder cases that happened in the Bylas area in March.
Brandon Hinton (Courtesy: San Carlos Apache Police Department)
In a post made on March 7, investigators said that 24-year-old Brandon Hinton was arrested in connection with a shooting near the Bylas Fitness Center a day prior that led to the death of 20-year-old Tashon Gambler.
On March 13, police announced the arrest of another man in connection with a separate murder case. Investigators said the man, identified as Tre Lang, was arrested for his alleged role in the death of 42-year-old Sonny Garcia Sr.
Tre Lang (Courtesy: San Carlos Apache Police Department)
Have there been other notable criminal cases in that community lately?
Local perspective:
In September 2025, we reported on the stabbing death of 53-year-old Raymond Preston.
Per our report at the time, Preston was found dead in his home on the reservation on Aug. 23, and on the night prior, Preston reportedly hosted a gathering with friends.
Preston's family believes the murder was a hate crime, as Preston was gay. At the time of the report, Ricardo Alvarado with the San Carlos Apache Police Department said investigators were not ruling it out, but also said there was no evidence at the crime scene showing hateful symbols or sayings.
Family calls for answers in slaying of San Carlos Apache man
Tribal police & the FBI are investigating the murder of Raymond Preston, a 53-year-old disabled and openly gay man from the San Carlos Apache Tribe. His family believes the fatal stabbing at his home was a hate crime. FOX 10's Justin Lum has the story.
Another case that involved a member of the San Carlos Apache tribe is the Emily Pike case.
Pike, who was a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, was reported missing from a Mesa group home on Jan. 27, 2025. Her remains were found a few weeks later outside of Globe in the Gila County area.
The investigation briefly drew national attention when FBI Director Kash Patel visited the family. However, relatives and community members say that initial federal momentum has faded, leaving them frustrated by a lack of progress.
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Is murder a problem for Arizona native tribes?
Depending on the tribe, the answer is different.
By the numbers:
Figures from the 2023 Indian Country Investigations & Prosecutions report by the U.S. Department of Justice show that for 2023, there were a total of 26 cases of murder or manslaughter in federal case files for Arizona tribes that year, of which one of the cases came from the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
The figures also show that some tribes, like the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Fort McDowell Apache Indian Community, had no cases.
One native tribe in Arizona proposed in 2025 to banish and "dis-enroll" members convicted of violent crimes. The proposal by the Gila River Indian Community came after series of high-profile violent crimes, including the shooting death of tribal police officer Joshua Briese in 2024.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from statements released by the San Carlos Apache Police Department, with supplemental information gathered from the U.S. Department of Justice and from previous FOX 10 news reports.