The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information  leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the death of Isiah Terrell Billy.

On Oct. 5,  Billy was found dead in a wash east of the Sinclair gas station near mile marker 23 on U.S. Highway 64, in Shiprock, New Mexico.

The cause of death is pending but considered suspicious.

Billy, who was 30 at the time, lived in Shiprock, on the Navajo Nation.

The FBI and Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety are investigating the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or go online at tips.fbi.gov.

SHIPROCK — Two people being pursued by the Navajo Police Department fired at authorities at 4:53 pm, March 8, from a black Chevrolet Malibu while fleeing southbound on U. S. Highway 491.

They shots struck an officer’s windshield. Officers successfully deployed a tire deflation device rendering the suspects' vehicle inoperable, at which point, several shots were fired toward officers’ vehicles with the officers returning fire.

The officers were not harmed and the suspects were arrested without further incident.

Authorities had made contact with one of the two at a residence west of Shiprock, N.M. while checking into a March 7 homicide.

The case is currently under investigation with the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, additional information will not be released at this time.

The photo below of Navajo Police officers is Courtesy of indianz.com

Rating: ««« out of 4 stars

Running Time: 150 min.

I’m a huge James Bond fan, so I’ll admit to being biased as far as entries in this spy series go. The previous Daniel Craig films have all been grittier and moodier affairs, even going so far to examine the psychological trails of being an agent and critiquing some of the methods used by MI-5. They’ve been generally strong efforts, but one is starting to get the impression that the filmmakers are starting to move away from the serious material and focus on the globetrotting adventure.

Spectre almost feels like a homage to the older Sean Connery titles. A sense of dry humor seeps into the proceedings and our hero appears much less tormented than we’ve seen in the past. Some will criticize the latest movie for lacking the same kind of heft and emotional depth present in the earlier titles. But after three serious installments, it’s a bit of a nostalgic kick to see a breezier Bond film involving a larger-than-life foe.

This time out, agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) finds his job on the line when a new bureau head named C (Andrew Scott) arrives and informs M (Ralph Fiennes) that emphasis will now be placed on global surveillance techniques. Ignoring orders, Bond decides to follow up on a lead independently. He infiltrates a nefarious organization named Spectre and identifies its leader, Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz). Along the way, the spy recruits an old nemesis’ daughter (Léa Seydoux) to help him.

There are some serious moments as old characters from the previous three films return and are referred to. But while it’s definitely somber in spots, in general it all feels more like the Bond of an earlier era. The villain is quite flippant and his evil plot isn’t motivated by emotion or revenge. And a classic antagonist from the series is even re-introduced to audiences. As mentioned, there’s an increase in witty banter. Much more of an emphasis is placed on Bond’s relationship with Q (Ben Whishaw) and there is some very amusing interplay between the odd couple.

As expected, the action and technical skills are exemplary. From the impressive and lengthy opening master shot (which lasts several minutes and follows Bond from a massive ‘Day of the Dead’ festival, into a hotel, up an elevator and to a suite before moving onto the street rooftops) through a series of elaborate confrontations, the movie always looks great and pulses with excitement. The highlight may be a train-set dust-up with nasty henchman Hinx (Dave Bautista), which follows the characters as they struggle not only to beat each other, but to seemingly break every piece of furniture onboard.

The exaggerated approach leaves a few questions. The female lead appears in a fancy dress out of the blue in the middle of nowhere and no one on the train seems all that flustered by the incredible destruction of the aforementioned fight. Oberhauser also has the opportunity to kill Bond, but chooses a complicated and elaborate method of slow torture instead. But then again, it all may actually be part of the feature’s goal - a homage to the Bond titles of old.

Spectre is a bit slower-moving and the lighter approach may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this reviewer (and fan) had a great time seeing the new cast cut loose and enjoy themselves in a pulpy adventure. This sequel isn’t as strong a film as Casino Royale, but it’s still an awful lot of fun. As popcorn-munching action titles go, Bond still sits at the top of the heap.

Rating: «« out of 4 Stars

Running Time: 107 min.

Based on the 2005 documentary of the same name, Our Brand Is Crisis fictionalizes the 2002 presidential election in Bolivia. Unlike the previous incarnation, the approach of this narrative is satiric. It makes for an unusual film; one that has to straddle the line between comedy and a serious tone, exposing a real and disturbing situation. Frankly, it’s an uneasy mix. Some of it works thanks to the work of a strong cast, but it ultimately falls flat in its resolution.

‘Calamity’ Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock) is a burnt-out political consultant, convinced to take on her toughest assignment yet - rescue the flailing campaign of US-backed Presidential candidate Pedro Gallo (Joaquim de Almeida). She’s reluctant, but old habits die hard when she learns that a rival (Billy Bob Thornton) is running the show for the election frontrunner. Desperate to win, she heads to Bolivia and pulls out all of the stops, attempting to use a message of “crisis” and fear to motivate voters into backing her client.

The lead character is the actual villain of the piece and there’s some darkly humorous material as the new campaign gets into full swing. This includes ridiculous political commercials that present the stiff Gallo as a savior to the people. The candidate himself is amusingly coached on how to appear more human and relatable on TV. And even dirtier tricks are employed as unfounded rumors are subtly spread to the media about Gallo’s competitors. It all reaches a fevered pitch when campaign buses race each other down a perilous mountain road to get to the next town first.

For the most part, these scenes are when the movie is at its best, highlighting the absurdity and sneaking in some biting commentary. Bullock does well to make a flawed and at times nasty character both engaging and dynamic. Bodine is doing horrible things to good people, but the actress manages to display strong charm and a sense of gallows humor that keeps us watching. In fact, it’s unfortunate, because her charisma could easily have taken viewers into an even darker and more scathing indictment of the CIA’s attempts to influence an election in a foreign country.

And sadly, the film really comes undone in the in its final fifteen minutes. A tale like this needs to slap the viewer with the somber reality of what is happening. While it does happen, it all appears rushed and stilted. A quick moment of reflection and rapid change in character comes too quickly and too late to resonate emotionally or be believable. The movie attempts to tie up all of its loose ends and offer something of a redemption, but it feels false, considering the ugly chaos the character has unleashed. A much darker close would have been truer to the themes of the story.

Our Brand is Crisis has some funny moments and attempts to reveal some horrible truths about manipulations used by various parties to win an election. However, this adaptation ultimately plays it all in too safe and conventional a manner - it should have been darker and even more scathing towards both its central characters and the tricks of the trade.