A federal grand jury has indicted Brutus Claymore, 36, of Fort Yates, North Dakota, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, on a charge of First Degree Murder. The indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Chase, stems from an incident on November 22, 2014, in Fort Yates.
According to the allegations, Claymore forcibly entered an occupied residence at nighttime and attempted to rob the occupants. When one resident resisted, Claymore allegedly stabbed them with a knife, resulting in their death. The charges follow a years-long investigation conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Missing and Murdered Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Claymore's trial is scheduled to begin on June 23, 2026, before District Judge Daniel L. Hovland. This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which prioritizes resolving MMIP cases and fostering collaboration among federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department emphasized its commitment to pursuing justice for victims and their families, regardless of the time elapsed.