David Alan Johnson, a 23-year-old male from Red Lake, Minnesota, was fatally shot on August 12, 2019. The incident occurred on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, where Johnson was confronted by multiple individuals over allegations that he had stolen a vehicle and drugs. The confrontation escalated, leading to Johnson being shot in the chest. Another individual was also wounded during the attack.
Following the shooting, authorities arrested several suspects in connection with the crime.
Alexia Gah Gi Gay Mary Cutbank, a 21-year-old woman from Bemidji, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder and assault. She admitted to tracking Johnson down and shooting him. Three other individuals were also implicated in the crime: Daniel Charles Barrett, 32, of Redby, Minnesota; Mia Faye Sumner, 22, of Duluth, Minnesota; and getaway driver Rose Celeste Siewert, 50, of Cass Lake, Minnesota. Sumner received a 10-year sentence, Siewert was sentenced to four years, and Barrett was awaiting sentencing at the time of the reports.
Cutbank was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the killing. She admitted in court that she had sought out Johnson specifically to confront him about the stolen vehicle and drugs. The case was prosecuted in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota, given that the crime occurred on tribal land. The sentencing of the suspects brought some closure to the case, though the violent nature of the crime left a lasting impact on the community.
