When I moved to the edge of the Blackfeet Reservation in 1999, I started cutting out all the obits from the Great Falls Tribune and sticking them on cards, which I filed. By now I have 2 file boxes mostly full. At first I kept dates, but then I stopped. Mostly I figured I would use them for genealogy since they list next of kin. But someone was inquiring about rez violence because of what I’ve been blogging, so I sorted my cards. First I separated all deaths that didn’t have known causes in the obit and also pulled out the identified murders and manslaughters, including drunk driving. By now most of the deaths under investigation will have been resolved and were probably due to natural causes. Families withhold causes for many reasons, but usually related to stigma.
It was a very mixed experience to do this. First of all, I knew many of these people, loved some of them, and recognized a few as truly exceptional. Many died of old age and I honor them. Diabetes, alcoholism and car crashes took too many. Disease, not so many. I try to attend the funerals of my former students where I often hear about many more accomplishments than I ever heard about earlier. I sat with these cards, playing solitaire, and then thought I would share my list.
IDENTIFIED MURDER OR MANSLAUGHTER (by victims)
(Perps in italics underneath)
Wendy Jo HeavyRunner (52) Undetermined causes in hospital in Sitka, Alaska.
Zachary Gervais (18) Knifed.
Leonard Villa, Jr. Family suing the US Government for failure to confine Villa for a prior offense.
Marie Heavyrunner (71) Found dead for months under her own house. Strangled and drowned.
Mark Saint Storm Heavy Runner (44) and Thomas Charles Marc Heavy Runner (21) pled guilty and are incarcerated
Ernest (Sonny) Arrow Top Knot , Jr. (April 2002)
Devina No Runner (25) (ten years and a month in federal prison, $5,000 restitution and five years probation)
Clarence Lester Bird Rattler, (29) (12 years to run consecutive to his 44 years for robbery. He had escaped jail the day before killing Ernest.)
Scott Little Dog shot with a .22 rifle
Lanny Buehl second parole violation
Anthony “Lil Butch” Arrow Top Knot (17) stab wound
Fernandel Omeaso Jr.(17) stabbed
Shannon Bull Plume (33) Continued to be violent in prison. Sentence recently reduced.
S.R.K
Belinda Jane Bullshoe (33)
T.P. R. (2)
David Paul Bearchild
Elena Kate Belcourt (21) apparent murder (Billings motel)
Victor Van Kennedy and Myron Wesley Fallsdown Jr. (also raped a second woman)
Kennedy’s conviction was overturned.
Randy Paul Brown (17) (Missoula) gunshot
Kimberly Mary Calf Boss Ribs (21) Havre
Francis “Butch” Cree Medicine 1989, shot by a hitchhiker
Anthony Lane Lankford (30) also tried to kill Mary Pat Murphy, the highway patrol officer who stopped him
Bernard Francis Day Rider (38) stabbed
Glenda Phyliss Dog Taking Gun (27) beaten to death
Jace Fitzpatrick (4) struck by vehicle while on bike
Loren Gobert (39) drunk
Jonathan Combs (47)
Blair “Mickey Little Dog (48)
Virginia Ann Macdonald (40) Missoula
James MacDonald who then killed himself
James Aldwin MacDonald (43) self-inflicted gunshot
Aarie “Cricket” Mad Plume (25) homicide
Son of Summer Many White Horses
Summer Many White Horses (32) also sentenced for Social Security fraud
David William Miller (22) head trauma, suicide Conrad
Jeremiah James Mittens (5) hit by a car, no driver identified
Susan Hall vehicular homicide
Journey Marie No Runner (25)
Autumn No Runner
Journey Marie No Runner Missoula
Dale LaPlante
William Old Rock (20) Involuntary Manslaughter -- drunk driviing
Mya Angel Pepion (3) died of a gunshot wound. Under investigation.
Rick Rattler shot by his brother
Reuben Roy Rattler (22) self-defense, not guilty
Tyree Paul Reevis (2) struck by a truck -- no driver identified
Varian “JoJo” Running Crane (21) Stabbed and fractured skull.
2 unnamed people arrested.
NO NAME (28) female involuntary manslaughter -- drunk driving
Galen Wildgun
MIXED DEATHS NOT IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED AS FROM NATURAL CAUSES
Patty Lee Austin (55) undetermined causes (likely suicide, white off-rez)
Marion Arthur “Stormy” Ackerman (57) under investigation (Roosevelt County)
Brian Allan Anderson (23) undetermined causes
Cole William Augare (21) drowning in Two Medicine Lake
Patrick “Barney” Augare (33) undetermined causes
William Patrick Bailey Bird (53) undetermined
Francis Joseph Bull Calf (73) unknown causes
Joshua Bear Medicine (33) family withheld
Garnet A. “Garnsie” Morning Gun Bear Child (44) coroner has not released cause
Wilbur Lee Bear Leggins (43) undetermined causes
Roy Joseph “Braids” Bennett Jr. (37) undetermined
Charles M. Big Leggin (30) undetermined
Doris Lynn Bird (20) undetermined
Ramona E. Blackweasel (49) undetermined
Stephen Adam Borris (20) undetermined (inquest scheduled)
Lollie Sue Boushie (55) brain stem injury (Kalispell)
Tyler Chance Boushie (21) family withheld
Colin Lee Boy Chief (28) undetermined
Alvin Keith Bullcalf Jr. (25) family withheld
Deanna M. Butler (45) organ failure
Earl Leonard Butterfly (48) undetermined
Clinton G. Croff, Sr. (3) under investigation
Carol Marie Comes at Night (41) family withheld
Danelle Rae Calf Boss Ribs (21) undetermined
Clinton Beau Crosby (25) undetermined causes
Wesley Dean Cross Guns (37) undetermined causes
Matthew David DeRoche (37) unreleased causes Kalispell
Leonard Joseph Day Rider (23) family withheld
Melvin D. Eagle Jr. (40) undetermined
Kimberly L. Gobert (35) undetermined, under investigation
Willard Blaine Goggles Jr. (32) undetermined
Bobby Roy Gray (40) self-inflicted gunshot
Tonia Marie Guardipee (33) found dead in a car, undetermined
Marilyn Guardipee (47) undetermined, Portland
Louis Alan Gobert Jr. (31) undetermined
Tia Ann “Chucky” Henriksen (23) under investigation
Merisha F. Hicklin (42) undetermined
Donna Lee Horn (42) undetermined
Franky Dale Hoyt (26) undetermined
Robby Hix John Hoyt (3) undermined (son of Franky and Kenneth)
Kenneth Dale Hoyt (24) under investigation
Julene Ingraham (42) undetermined
Frankie Ray Jaime (34) under investigation
Kello James “Running Antelope” Kipp (35) Family withheld
Tyanne Lee (49) undetermined causes
Allen J. Long Soldier, Jr. (18) undetermined causes Harlem
Tyrone Lee LaBuff (31) undetermined causes
Lucille Marie “Lucy” Jiron Little Young Man(15) undetermined causes
Michael Little Young Man (53) undetermined causes 12/22/12
Michael Little Young Man (53) undetermined causes 12/22/12
Maria Lee Larson (52) undetermined causes
Nolan Joe LaPlante (32) under investigation
Andrew Joseph Livingston (54) self-inflicted gunshot
Kenneth Lee Loring Sr. (39) undetermined
Marvin Clifford Mittens (45) under investigation
Shannon Dawn Mittens (18) cause pending
Curtis Marceau Jr. (27) self-inflicted stab wound
Francis J. “Binkx” Marceau (37) undetermined
Darrell J. “Barney” Marceau (29) undetermined
Gary Dale Matt Sr. (31) suicide Conrad
Judy A. Nelson (63) undetermined causes Spokane Valley, WA
Jon Anthony Nomee (43) family withheld
Cheyenne Lee NoRunner (25) cause not released
Cheyenne Lee NoRunner (25) cause not released
Suzanne Jo Peterson (62) undetermined
Clint William Powell, (19) under investigation
William C. Racine (51) under investigation
Crystal Rose Racine (43) Tacoma undetermined
Eugene Gayle Racine (50) undetermined
David Joshua "Josh" RedHead (33) under investigation, near an oil rig
David Joshua "Josh" RedHead (33) under investigation, near an oil rig
Kenneth William Reevis (44) undetermined
Brandon M. Rhodes (32) undetermined Bellingham, WA
Martin Alexander Joseph Rider Sr. (23) undetermined
Vicki Wendie Rider (45) undermined
DeAnn Brooks Rides at the Door (37) undermined, Lawrence Kansas
James Running Crane (45) undermined causes
Cody Running Wolf Sr. (29) family chooses not to disclose cause of death
Cody Running Wolf Sr. (29) family chooses not to disclose cause of death
Patricia Rutherford Cause not available.
Leon A. “Broadwater” Spotted Eagle undetermined
Joseph Jody Salois (38) undetermined
Scott Frederic Sherburne (5) undetermined
Israel Emmanuel Shorting (33) undetermined persons detained pending autopsy
Susan Gaye Spotted Bear (46) under investigation
Gary Lee Spotted Bear (46) under investigation
Wife also dead but no obit for her
Marin “Marty Keno” Standing Rock (29) undetermined
Glenn Joseph St. Goddard (40) under investigation
Marvin Tailfeathers (52) undetermined
Velma Angeline (Salway) Tirade(45) under investigation Tacoma
Marilyn Leona Vaile (49) undetermined
Charlene Mae Yellow Owl (61) undetermined
Henry Nelson Wagner (48) undetermined
Michael Alan Walling (22) under investigation
William Joseph Westwolf (46) undetermined
Clarence “Smokey” WhiteGrass (51) undetermined pending autopsy
Michael R. Williamson (53) undetermined natural causes
Tracy J. Tall (Bull Child) Whiteman family withheld
Tanau Thomas (21) found dead on a back road, under investigation
Tanau Thomas (21) found dead on a back road, under investigation
Michaela Shae White Grass (15) undetermined
William Henry White Quills Jr. (17) undetermined
7 comments:
NA suicide rate is sky-high.
Any suicide is a tragedy which affects many people.
So....
grief x ? many I would guess.
Donald Lee Bird Sr., 57, a construction laborer, died Thursday, Sept 6, 2012, at his home. The coroner has not determined a cause of death.
Posted by Mary Scriver
A real check on this would be a review of death certificates. They list cause of death and a family can't withhold.
I investigated this with a newspaper editor. Death certificates cost at least $10 and sometimes $20 EACH. I'm on Social Security. The newspaper said they couldn't afford it either. They might not have meant money.
Why are you anonymous?
Prairie Mary
That's a lot of money for anyone. Thanks for the info you compiled. There are 3 murders in the undetermined column I can name off the top of my head....Kello Kipp, Michael Waller and Susie Spotted Bear killed by her husband Gary in a murder suicide. I'm anonymous because its a very fragile subject. I apologize if that offends you. Thank you for your information though.
I am FAR from offended and I understand completely why you would want to be anonymous. I'm hoping that if the FBI or whoever else is concerned knows that someone is paying attention things might change. I've known the murdered ones and I've known the murderers, too. It seems to me that the interaction of large forces like poverty, alcohol, sexual force, just plain abuse esp. in childhood -- all interact to destroy lives. Time for it to stop.
Prairie Mary
Mary Scriver
Valier, Montana
i would like to know what happened to Roy "braids"Bennett he's my father who I just recently found out about. All it says undetermined
Post a Comment