On the evening of March 8, 2014, the community of Red Lake, Minnesota, was shaken by the unexpected death of Donald "Dudie" May Jr., a respected 58-year-old male member of the Red Lake Tribal Council. Tribal police responded to a 911 call at approximately 7:42 p.m., leading them to a residence in a rural area of Red Lake where they discovered May's body.
He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
The circumstances surrounding the death were immediately considered suspicious, prompting a joint investigation by the Red Lake Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At the scene, a 47-year-old woman who was present at the residence was taken into custody. In the immediate aftermath, the woman faced charges in tribal court for domestic violence, third-degree assault, and disorderly conduct.
Donald May Jr. was a well-known and influential figure within the Red Lake Nation. First elected to the tribal council in 2004, he was serving his third term at the time of his death. He was recognized for his dedication to tribal sovereignty, his passion for treaty rights, and his efforts to reclaim former tribal lands. His passing was described as a significant loss for the community he served.
Despite the initial arrest and the announcement of an active and suspicious death investigation by both tribal and federal authorities, further details regarding the outcome of the case have not been made publicly available through online sources. Information concerning the resolution of the tribal court charges against the woman taken into custody, or whether any additional charges were filed in direct connection with May's death, is not available in the public record. The final conclusions of the FBI's investigation into the shooting also remain undisclosed in the available online information.
