Alexis Rowan was attacked after asking for directions near Supai, authorities say, before a resident helped her reach safety.
SUPAI, Ariz. — A 27-year-old New York City woman survived a knife attack during a hiking trip on the Havasupai Reservation this month, and a 29-year-old tribal member with a previous federal robbery conviction has been arrested in the case, according to law enforcement records and published reports.
Alexis Rowan was hiking with a friend on Aug. 12 during a trip to the Havasupai Reservation, home to the well-known Havasu Falls, when the two became briefly separated. Investigators say Rowan asked a man for directions to a gift shop in the village of Supai and began walking away after the encounter made her uneasy. An FBI affidavit cited by local news outlets says the man then attacked her with a knife, injuring her neck and hand. A nearby camera recorded part of the struggle.
The suspect was identified as Taylor Nardo Paya, a member of the Havasupai Tribe. Federal authorities have charged Paya with assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian country, according to reports citing court records. The charge is an allegation, and Paya has not been convicted in connection with the August attack. He was taken into federal custody after his arrest.
Investigators said Rowan’s cellphone fell from her backpack during the struggle and was taken. Authorities later used location information from the phone to trace it to a nearby residence. ABC15 reported that an officer went to the location, but Paya shut the door. Authorities obtained a warrant, and Paya was arrested the following day. The attack occurred on tribal land, bringing federal authorities into the criminal case.
A resident near the scene responded after hearing Rowan’s calls for help and helped her get to safety, according to Rowan’s family and news reports. Rowan received medical treatment for wounds to her neck and hand and later returned to New York. She told the New York Post that thoughts of her children helped her focus on surviving the attack. Her mother, Tricia Rowan, has also publicly thanked the resident who came to her daughter’s aid.
The case has drawn additional attention because Paya was previously convicted in federal court of robbery stemming from a separate 2015 assault on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in 2016 that Paya assaulted a victim in the front yard of a residence before stealing personal property. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to five years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The Havasupai Reservation lies in northwestern Arizona and is administered by the Havasupai Tribe. It is outside the boundaries and jurisdiction of Grand Canyon National Park, according to the National Park Service. Visitors travel to the remote canyon for Havasu Falls and other waterfalls known for their blue-green water. Access requires reservations and permits issued through the tribe.
The August attack occurred in the Supai area after Rowan had completed much of the approximately 10-mile trip into the canyon, according to published accounts. Video from a nearby security camera showed part of the confrontation, providing investigators with evidence beyond witness accounts. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive for the alleged attack, and no motive should be inferred from the available information.
Rowan is recovering at home in New York, according to reports published this weekend. Paya remained in federal custody as the new case moved through the federal court system. Further details about the prosecution, including any later hearing dates or case developments, had not been reliably established in the sources reviewed as of Sunday.
Author note: Last updated August 23, 2026.