Wolf Point man admits murder charge in shooting on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man admitted to a murder charge today in the November 2020 shooting of a man on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

Doratello “DJ” Juan Fischer, 36, pleaded guilty to second degree murder as charged in an information. Fischer faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for March 9, 2022. Fischer was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on Nov. 25, 2020, 911 received a call of a man, later identified as the victim, John Doe, outside of a bar in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, waiving around a gun. Law enforcement determined that Doe shot one round into the ground and then pointed the gun at Fischer. No injuries were reported. On Nov. 27, 2020, a caller to 911 advised that shots had been fired in an area of 5^th Avenue South and Helena Street in Wolf Point. A few minutes later, another call to 911 advised that Doe had been shot and was lying on the floor of a residence. Emergency responders and law enforcement transported Doe to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the back of Doe.

The government further alleged that immediately before the Nov. 27, 2020 shooting, Doe was seen outside of a residence on 5^th Avenue South by at least one of the residents. Law enforcement learned that an individual was driving Fischer around Wolf Point and stopped the car in an alley. Fischer exited the vehicle and shot Doe in the back as Doe was running away. At least one of the residents saw, at the time of the shooting, a man firing a rifle at Doe, who was running down 5^th Avenue South. Fischer later told the driver he had killed Doe.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Harper Suek and Jared C. Cobell are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation and Wolf Point Police Department.

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