St. Michael, ND Man Arrested for Murder on Sprit Lake Indian Reservation

Fargo – Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that on March 10, 2025, JOHNNIE JAY GAKING, Age 27 of St. Michael, ND, made his initial court appearance to face federal murder charges.  A Federal Complaint charges Gaking with two counts of Second-Degree Murder and one count of Attempted Murder on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.  Court documents alleged that on March 4, 2025, Johnnie Gaking shot and killed an adult victim and a child victim at a residence on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.  These court documents also allege that Gaking shot another adult victim who was later transported to the hospital for treatment.  Gaking departed the residence and was apprehended by law enforcement that same day and transported to the hospital for apparent self-inflected injuries.

A Complaint in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorney Samantha L. Schmidt assigned to the case.

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