Cop killer gets 35 years

The Kaibeto man who shot and killed Navajo Police Sgt. Darrell Curley last June was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix announced July 23.

Victor Bigman, 49, also will serve five years of supervised release after being release from prison.

He was originally charged with first degree murder, but pleaded guilty to second degree murder April 5, 2012.

Under terms of his plea agreement, he would be sentenced to between 25 and 35 years in prison.

Second degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction on first degree murder would have resulted in a mandatory life sentence.

Curley, a 26-year police veteran, and his partner, Officer Vernon Begay, had responded to a domestic disturbance call at a Kaibeto home about 10 p.m. on June 25, 2011, where two brothers were fighting.

As Curley was taking one of the brothers to his patrol car, Bigman, the man’s father, shot Curley four times with a 9 mm pistol.

Curley was able to return fire and struck Bigman, who was hospitalized for several weeks.

The officer was taken to Page Hospital where he died hours later.

A federal grand jury on July 20, 2011 charged Bigman with first degree murder.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, and Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. attorneys Roger Dokken and Sharon K. Sexton prosecuted.

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