Defendant in Toineeta murder faces additional charges

from Smoky Mountain News | December 14, 2022

Major development planned for Qualla Community

Brandon Tyler Buchanan, 25, of Cherokee is now facing new criminal charges in addition to the first-degree murder charge he faces in the death of Kobe Toineeta, also a 25-yearold from Cherokee.

According to a Facebook post from the Cherokee Indian Police Department, both Buchanan and Ashlee Blaine Smith, 28, who shared a residence at the address where Toineeta died, are charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver schedule II, possession with intent to sell/deliver schedule IV and possession with intent to sell/deliver schedule VI.

During the homicide investigation, police executed a search warrant at the home and

found 387 oxycodone 30-milligram pills, 99 clonazepam 2-milligram pills, more than 300 grams of marijuana, two firearms and $13,000 cash. The homicide occurred between 4 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, at 868 Big Cove Road in Cherokee. Buchanan is accused of shooting Toineeta with a gun, killing him. The investigation is ongoing. An obituary describes Toineeta as “an old soul who never met a stranger.” A 2015 graduate of Swain County High School, Brandon Tyler Toineeta was a talented all-around athlete

Buchanan who especially loved football, receiving MVP on the Cherokee Braves JV football team and All Conference his junior year on the Swain Maroon Devils football team. He was a partner in a local drywall company and enjoyed hunting, giving much of the fish and bear meat he got to Cherokee elders.

— By Holly Kays, staff writer

More families now qualify for quality, affordable health insurance

Anyone needing a quality, affordable health insurance plan, now is the time to enroll for 2023. Open Enrollment is underway and ends Janu. 15, 2023. Anyone needing coverage starting Jan. 1 must enroll by Dec. 15.

The Healthcare.gov Marketplace is open, and nonprofits Mountain Projects and Pisgah Legal Services offer free help and can deliver facts on Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance.

Here are five reasons to get covered: • Your family may qualify for new savings.

Some families who previously were not eligible for financial assistance, and found employer coverage too expensive, may now be eligible for tax credits. More than 200,000 uninsured people could gain coverage, and nearly one million Americans can see their coverage become more affordable. • It’s more affordable.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimate that four out of five people will find plans for $10 or less per month. Tax credits through the Healthcare.gov Marketplace can help reduce monthly premiums. Certified navigators and assisters can help you calculate the amount you are eligible to receive. • You can’t be denied for pre-existing conditions.

All ACA plans are required to cover essential benefits, including doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, mental health treatment and maternity care. Consumers also receive free preventive care services, such as immunizations and health screenings. • Local nonprofits offer free assistance understanding your options.

Mountain Projects and Pisgah Legal Services are pleased to work in partnership to help people review the plans and sign up to get covered. • Free help is available near you, and there is no pressure to enroll.

Meet with a certified navigator or assister to get the facts on ACA health insurance and find a plan that works for you and your family. There is never any pressure to pick a plan – the decision is totally up to you. You have options to attend a free event or make an appointment that works for your schedule. • Jackson County: A Navigator will be on-site at Jackson County Library in Sylva every Tuesday from noon to 3 p.m. • Swain County: A Navigator will be onsite at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To make a free appointment, call Mountain Projects at 828.452.1447 or contact Pisgah Legal Services online at pisgahlegal.org/healthcare or call 828.210.3404. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.