Federal authorities have charged a Havasupai tribal member after the New York hiker was injured near the village of Supai.
SUPAI, AZ — A 27-year-old New York woman survived a knife attack while hiking on the Havasupai Reservation this month, and a 29-year-old tribal member has been charged in federal court in connection with the assault, according to court documents and published reports.
Alexis Rowan was hiking with a friend on Aug. 12 during a trip to Havasu Falls when the two became separated near the village of Supai. Court documents cited by Arizona Public Radio say Rowan noticed a man walking behind her and asked him for directions to a nearby gift shop. Authorities allege the man, identified as Taylor Nardo Paya, then attacked her with a knife and later fled with her cellphone.
Rowan suffered injuries to her neck and left hand during the attack. She later told WABC in New York that she needed 10 stitches in her neck and three stitches in her hand. Video from a nearby camera captured part of the confrontation, according to several news reports. A resident who heard the commotion intervened and helped Rowan reach a safer location where she received first aid.
Paya has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country, according to KNAU Arizona Public Radio, which reviewed federal court records. The charge is an allegation, and Paya has not been convicted in the current case. A lawyer representing him did not immediately respond to KNAU’s request for comment.
The attack occurred on Havasupai tribal land in a remote section of northern Arizona reached by a long canyon hike. Havasu Falls and the surrounding waterfalls draw visitors to the reservation for their turquoise water and red-rock setting. Supai, the tribal community near the falls, sits deep within the canyon and is accessible primarily by trail, helicopter or pack animal.
Rowan’s mother, Tricia Rowan, told Arizona Family that her daughter and a friend had planned the visit as a birthday trip. She said the pair became separated after hiking into the canyon and that her daughter approached Paya because he was the first person she saw when she needed directions. The family said the attack began shortly afterward.
The Havasupai Tribe condemned the violence in a statement released after the attack. Chairwoman Melinda Yaiva said violence against visitors, tribal members or others in the community is unacceptable and said the alleged conduct does not reflect the tribe’s values. She also thanked tribal members who helped Rowan and law enforcement officers who took the suspect into custody.
Federal records show Paya has a prior robbery conviction. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in 2016 that Paya, then 20, was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to robbery. Prosecutors said that case stemmed from a December 2015 incident on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in which he assaulted a victim and stole personal belongings.
Authorities in the current case have not publicly identified a motive for the Aug. 12 attack. Reports citing court records say Paya was arrested after investigators located Rowan’s stolen phone. Rowan has since returned home to New York and is recovering from her injuries.
The federal case remains pending, and no final resolution has been announced. Authorities have not released additional findings explaining why Rowan was targeted.
Author note: Last updated August 25, 2026.