For more than two decades, Jamie Ray TakesGun and his partner, Ann, built a life together in Great Falls, Montana, raising their three children. A 47-year-old husband and father, Jamie was deeply loved by his family. His life, however, came to a brutal and sudden end in the fall of 2022, leaving his loved ones with unanswered questions and a desperate search for justice. He would never get to meet his first grandchild, a milestone his family says was stolen from him.
On the evening of October 30, 2022, Jamie attended a house party on the 600 block of Fifth Avenue NW, surrounded by people he considered to be his friends. When more than two days passed without a word from him, a worried Ann went to the police to file a missing persons report. It was there, within minutes of her arrival, that officers delivered the devastating news: Jamie had been found deceased. The incident was later described as a "house party gone wrong," but for his family, the circumstances were clear.
"Even if it was a ‘house party gone wrong’, they still took his life," Ann later stated. "The drugs didn't take his life, the alcohol didn't take his life, people took his life."
Jamie Ray TakesGun had been beaten to death. The Great Falls Police Department immediately launched an investigation, and his death was officially ruled a homicide. Detectives interviewed numerous people who were present at the party that night, but a wall of silence met their inquiries. Despite the large number of attendees, no one came forward with information that could lead to an arrest. The case grew cold as investigators struggled to find cooperative witnesses.
In the years following Jamie's murder, his family has refused to let his memory fade or for his case to be forgotten. They have organized events and marches to keep his name in the public eye, hoping to compel someone to speak up. Ann shared their story on the true-crime podcast "The Fall Line," an experience that brought a renewed wave of support and outreach, strengthening the family's faith that justice was still possible. "I got frustrated and I was like, ‘Great, you know, I ain't getting nowhere with this’," Ann said of her efforts. "Then all of a sudden the podcast pops up. It was kind of like a little sign of faith."
Jamie's father, Floyd TakesGun, expressed his fear that those responsible could harm someone else. "These guys are walking around too free, you know," he told a reporter. "They’ll probably do it again, you know. They did it once, they'll do it again." The family’s plea is for anyone who was at the party or who has any knowledge of what happened to find the courage to come forward. "I know there is a witness out there," Ann said. "I know there's people that seen it. I know there's people that watched... I hope someone has a heart and someone has a change of mind, and they see that Jamie deserves justice."
As of December 2024, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Jamie Ray TakesGun. The Criminal Division of the Cascade County Attorney’s Office has stated that the case remains open and is pending further investigation, confirming that more evidence is needed before any charges can be filed. The Great Falls Police Department continues to ask for the public's help. Anyone with information regarding the death of Jamie TakesGun is urged to contact them at 406-727-7688.
