Benjamin Halona was mauled to death at about 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after a bear forced its way into his house in the Navajo Nation community of Crystal, according to the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. His New Mexico relatives want him remembered for his career as a firefighter rather than for the violence that ended his life.
Halona, 67, was by himself when the animal got inside. His stepson, Casey, had left for the post office.
There was little he could do. His wife, Bernadine, had died of an illness in February, leaving him widowed, and a seizure had left him dependent on a walker and a wheelchair as he recovered. He could not get away from the bear.
A Stepson Hid and Called for Help
Casey came back to a door standing ajar. Then he spotted the bear inside.
He shut himself into a nearby room and used his cellphone to call for help. He also phoned two relatives: Gloria Halona, his stepfather’s sister, and her daughter, Samantha Vandever, his stepfather’s niece. Gloria Halona told The Guardian that he shoved a dresser and other heavy objects against his bedroom door before hiding in a crawlspace in his closet.
Both women drove out to the home. The bear was outside by the time they pulled up, and they leaned on the car horn until it ran off. What they found indoors, Vandever said, was a “horrific scene.”
The wildlife department, in a Facebook post, recounted that officers who responded shot and wounded the bear, which then fled into nearby woods. Responders eventually caught up with the animal and neutralized it. Halona, the department confirmed, died of the injuries he suffered in the attack. In its own statement, the Navajo Police Department noted that bears are sacred to the Navajo Nation and said the animal fled into “nearby woods. The bear was located and neutralized. Unfortunately, the male victim succumbed due to injuries.” New Mexico has recorded only two fatal bear attacks in a century, making them extraordinarily rare there. Halona’s death was the second of those and the first in 25 years.
Family Remembers His Firefighting Career
“He was a really strong person,” his sister, Gloria, told the Guardian. She also said: “And, even though he didn’t have a lot, he was happy.”
Away from the fire service, Halona sold tamales for a living. Casey is a son of his late wife, Bernadine.
Her uncle had endured a great deal in his lifetime, Vandever said, and the family is devastated by what happened to him. She described the aftermath they walked into as overwhelming.
Funeral services were held August 29. His family said he leaves behind a great-grandchild, 15 grandchildren, five stepchildren, four children and two siblings.
Officials Cite Drought Conditions
The Navajo Nation had already reported bear sightings climbing across its communities when the attack happened. In a statement issued August 25, Navajo police said drought and low moisture had thinned out the natural food bears rely on, sending them farther afield and prompting them to take bigger risks as they chase calories ahead of hibernation.
Most encounters between people and bears come down to food, the wildlife department has said, and it has cautioned residents to treat black bears as unpredictable animals that can turn dangerous without warning. Attacks like this one are unusual, the department said, but any bear may act defensively or aggressively, and people should keep their distance — no feeding, no following, and no close-range photographs.
Running is the wrong instinct, the department advised anyone who comes across a bear. Its guidance is to keep the animal in sight, back away slowly and leave it an unobstructed path out. Should the bear close the gap, residents should hold their ground, make themselves look as big as possible and make as much noise as they can. Children should stay close and dogs should be leashed, with no dog permitted to chase or confront a bear. If a black bear does attack, the department said, fight it off with whatever is within reach.
After the attack, the wildlife department offered condolences to Halona’s family, his loved ones and the Crystal community.
The problem stretches well past the Navajo Nation. Statewide, the New Mexico Department of Wildlife counted 253 bears killed in the license year that began April 1, including 186 killed as threats to people, livestock, pets or property. Across the entire previous license year, that second figure stood at 60.
