Ruben Maze was a Navajo criminal from New Mexico. He was involved with petty crimes on the reservation, including the theft of a rental car, for which he was arrested by officer Jim Chee. Fortunately for Maze, public defender Janet Pete arranged for his release. He was later arrested in connection with the murder of Wilson Sam in 2002, although he confessed that he had shot at Chee's trailer with a shotgun, but did not kill anyone; instead, it was Bahe Yellowhorse who murdered them.