Justice Department Complaint Filed for Murder of Raymond Mattia, Tohono O'odham

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Nov. 29, 2024

A complaint was filed with the U.S. Justice Department for the murder of Raymond Mattia, Tohono O'odham, by U.S. Border Patrol agents and tribal police. The civil rights complaint was filed by Ophelia Rivas, O'odham Voice Against the Wall, and signees. Mattia was murdered by agents and tribal police at the entrance to his home on the Tohono O'odham Nation.

Ophelia Rivas, Tohono O'odham, said the complaint was filed with the Civil Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice seeking justice for violation of Mr. Raymond Mattia Sr. civil and constitutional rights.

"The unjust decisions made thus far are a blatant cover-up of biased processes and laws pertaining to American Indians," Rivas said.

"The Arizona prosecutor ruled there was a 'just cause' of 38 shots fired and 11 bullets striking a peaceful unarmed American Indian man," Rivas said.

Raymond Mattia Sr. had called tribal police for assistance, undocumented persons had entered his home demanding the use of his cellphone. When they arrived, Mattia complied with the demands of over 10 border patrols and 1 tribal police, Rivas said.

"Ray was shot, and as he lay dying he was struck by 9 bullets, 2 shot from behind, and the border patrol threatened to shoot him again if he didn't comply and roll over. The border patrol then proceeded to break his arm and bash in his face calling it an 'imminent danger,'" Rivas said in a statement.

During interviews with Censored News, Mattia said he video-taped U.S. Border Patrol agents bringing drug cartels across the border near his home. They were transporting drug loads into the United States from Sonora, Mexico. Mattia said after he submitted the evidence, the video evidence disappeared. Mattia's home is in the far western portion of the Tohono O'odham Nation, near the bordertown of Ajo, Arizona, where a substation of the U.S. Border Patrol is located.

An investigation by Censored News reveals the vendetta of a police officer employed by the Tohono O'odham Nation Police Department. The tribal police officer's words shortly before Mattia was murdered are documented in a partial release of the recorded evidence.

“I don’t know exactly where that motherfucker is at," the tribal police officer told U.S. Border Patrol agents as they met shortly before Raymond was murdered.

The Tohono O'odham Nation police department refuses to release the officer's name. Neither the U.S. Border Patrol, nor the Tohono O'odham Nation Police Department, have released all of the officer body cam recordings of Raymond's murder. Only an edited portion has been released to the public.

The U.S. Border Patrol in the region -- Tucson, Ajo and Casa Grande -- is infested with crime, and the arrests are most often censored by the media. Congressional testimony and arrests show U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested for drug running, spotting for the cartels, serial rape, assault, kidnapping and murder.

Read the full statement by Ophelia Rivas on the U.S. Justice Department complaint for the murder of Raymond Mattia today at Censored News.
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/11/us-justice-department-complaint-filed.html


Article copyright Censored News.
Top photo: Raymond Mattia, courtesy Ophelia Rivas