In the quiet outskirts of Hugo, Oklahoma, a grim discovery was made on a Thursday afternoon in late spring. On May 21, 2020, law enforcement and emergency responders were called to a residence in the 3100 block of East 2105 Road that was being consumed by fire. Before the flames could fully engulf the home, deputies and troopers managed to pull 47-year-old Joe Ben “Rusty” Hemingway from the blaze.
It was then they realized the fire was not the only tragedy; Hemingway had been shot and was already deceased.
The investigation into the death of the middle-aged man quickly turned into a homicide case. Authorities identified a suspect who was not far from the scene. Hiding in a wooded area near the burning home was Hemingway's own son, 27-year-old Gunnar Hemingway. After several hours, he surrendered to OSBI agents and deputies from the Choctaw County Sheriff's Office.
Gunnar Hemingway was taken into custody and booked into the Choctaw County Jail. He faced serious charges for the death of his father, including Murder in the First Degree and Arson in the First Degree. The case was later indicted at the federal level, with Gunnar Mathew Hemingway facing a charge of Murder in Indian Country.
