Family remembers Eddie Jones III, calls for justice and reform in Indian Country
After a drunken driver killed the father of four on Navajo Nation land, his family says a 37-month federal sentence does not reflect the magnitude of their loss.
LITTLE WATER, N.M. —
Family members remember Eddie Jones III with calls for justice and reform in Indian Country
His family remembers him for how he lived. A devoted father, skilled tradesman, enthusiastic cook and a man who filled his family’s home with laughter and prayer.
The father of four was 34 when a drunken driver struck and killed him along a road in the Borrego Pass area of the Navajo Nation in August 2024. His family said the driver, identified as Debbie Rojack, received a 37-month federal prison sentence, and this does not reflect the magnitude of their loss.
Eddie’s father remembers his son as someone who always returned home ready to help.
“I’ll be home early in the morning. He’d come around, ‘Daddy, I’m home,'” Eddie Jones Jr. said. “I’ll never forget that.”
“What do you need done around here? I’m home. I’m ready to work,” he recalled his son saying.
Eddie was born Aug. 3, 1990, and was the youngest child in his family. His father taught him how to work with livestock, ride horses, weld and repair machinery.
Those skills later allowed Eddie to work for several companies and contractors. At the time of his death, his family said he had been working on a housing project in Crownpoint.
Eddie also enjoyed cooking, particularly red chile and tamales. His mother taught him how to make them, which he later sold to earn extra money for his family.
Relatives described Eddie as a jokester who loved to laugh, welcomed everyone he met and frequently brought his family together to pray.
“He was always joyful, always happy,” his other said. “But when he was leaving, he would say, ‘Come on, let’s all get together, hold hands and pray.’”
Eddie’s son found him during a trail ride
Eddie was last seen around the time of his 34th birthday. His family said relatives called hospitals and searched several communities after he did not return home.
According to the family, they tried to report him missing, but were told to wait and see if he returned. It remains unclear if law enforcement formally opened a missing-person case.
On Aug. 10, 2024, Eddie’s teenage son, Anthony Jones, encountered a body near County Road 48 while taking part in a horseback trail ride.
Anthony said he did not realize the person was his father. A familiar tattoo led him to fear it might be someone in his family.
“He had a tattoo on his back, and I was like, ‘That tattoo looks familiar,’” Anthony said.
Family members later confirmed Anthony’s worst fear.
“They were like, ‘That person you saw was your dad,’” Anthony said. “I ended up screaming and crying. I said, ‘That’s not true. That’s not true.’”
The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator pronounced Eddie dead at 6:07 p.m. Aug. 10. An autopsy determined he died from extensive blunt-force injuries consistent with being struck by a motor vehicle. His manner of death was classified as an accident.
The report did not establish an exact time of death.
Driver sentenced to 37 months
A federal investigation identified Debbie Rojack as the driver who hit Eddie in August 2024.
Rojack pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, to involuntary manslaughter. Federal authorities said she had been driving drunk when she struck and killed Eddie.
A federal judge sentenced Rojack on July 9, 2026, to 20 to 37 months in prison. The sentence was at the top of the advisory guideline range identified in court filings.
Eddie’s family, however, believes the punishment does not fit the crime.
“The judge gave her three days to go home and prepare to go to prison,” Eddie’s father said. “My son never came home to say goodbye.”
The family said the case exposed larger problems with how serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted in Indian country, where authority can be divided among tribal, federal, state and local agencies.
Relatives are calling for stronger penalties, better communication with victims’ families and closer coordination between the Navajo Nation and federal authorities.
“My son’s never coming back,” Eddie Jr. said. “So that’s why the laws need to change.”
“Something is missing now”
For Anthony, the loss is measured not only by the memories he has of his father, but also by the future experiences they will never share.
He had hoped Eddie would teach him more about riding horses, welding and navigating adulthood. He says his absence remains apparent every time he enters the family home
“It’s like something is missing now,” he said. “Every time I come over here, I’m like, ‘Something is missing.’ And every time I come in, I just gotta look at my dad’s picture.”
For Eddie’s family, Rojack’s sentencing ended the federal criminal case but not their fight for reform.
“I wish he was here,” Anthony said.
