NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A New Mexico man was sentenced to three years of probation for stabbing another individual during a drunken altercation, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. According to court documents, Leighton Spencer, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and two othe r individuals were at Spencer's home in Newcomb, drinking a mixture of Gatorade and hand sanitizer, followed by beers. Story continues below Investigation: DWI cases Albuquerque officers and paralegal made disappear Crime: Santa Fe Police identify man who was killed in hit-and-run Don't Miss: Rio Rancho to review plans to redevelop old country club golf course Officials said one of the individuals left, and when they came back, they found the third person dead in the doorway. Spencer initially claimed the person was sleeping, but emergency services were called, according to a news release from the DOJ. The Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the death a homicide caused by a stab wound to the neck. Spencer initially provided conflicting accounts of the incident before eventually admitting to the killing, saying he and John Doe got into an argument that turned physical, the DOJ said. According to court documents, John Doe first stabbed Spencer in the arm multiple times, and Spencer grabbed the knife and stabbed John Doe in return. Spencer pleaded guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter in March 2024. ...read more read less