Fort Yates Man Indicted for First Degree Murder

FARGO - United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that a federal grand jury has returned an Indictment charging Brutus Claymore, 36, Fort Yates, ND, an enrolled member of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, with First Degree Murder, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1153 and 1111.

As alleged, after years long investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Missing and Murdered Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, on November 22, 2014, Claymore forcibly entered an occupied residence on Fort Yates, ND, at nighttime, and attempted to rob the residents therein. When one of the residents attempted to resist, Claymore stabbed the resident with a knife that resulted in death.

An indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. The defendant is presumed innocent under the law unless and until proven guilty.

Claymore's trial has been scheduled for June 23, 2026, before the Honorable Daniel L. Hovland, District Judge of the United States District Court.

This case is part of the Department of Justice's Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department's mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) and being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Delorme, US Attorney's Office, District of North Dakota and Troy R. Morley, MMIP Assistant United States Attorney - Great Plains Region Tribal Liaison, District of South Dakota.

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