In the small community of Poplar, Montana, a quiet home became the scene of a profound tragedy in mid-September of 2025. Inside, 65-year-old Earlene Jones, a woman known for her deep roots in the Fort Peck community, was found to have her life abruptly ended. Her death was not a solitary one; she was discovered alongside two of her family members, 41-year-old Matthew Black Thunder and 35-year-old Winona Longee. The unsettling discovery was made by Fort Peck Tribal Police after they were compelled to enter the residence. The scene that confronted them was grim, with each of the three individuals having been shot at close range.
The events that led to this sorrowful discovery began to unfold a few days prior, around September 11th. The quiet of the community was shattered when a tip reached the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office on September 14th. A man had reportedly confessed to killing three people.
This confession led law enforcement to a 73-year-old Poplar resident named Michael J. Ackerman, who also went by the name Michael J. Littlebull. During an interview with deputies, Ackerman allegedly admitted to the killings. He stated that he had been using methamphetamine with the three victims and came to believe they were "setting him up," which he claimed prompted him to shoot them with a 9mm pistol.
Following the alleged confession, investigators located the bodies at Ackerman's residence in Poplar. The victims were identified as his wife, Earlene Jones, his stepson, Matthew Black Thunder, and his stepson's girlfriend, Winona Longee. The deeply personal connection between the suspect and the victims sent ripples of grief and shock through the close-knit community. Michael J. Ackerman was taken into custody and subsequently faced federal charges for three counts of second-degree murder. As the legal proceedings began, the community was left to mourn the loss of Earlene Jones and her family members, remembering her as a woman whose life was tragically cut short.
