A Hays man has admitted to fatally stabbing a woman during an altercation on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Tonylee Andrew Sears, 24, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter as charged in an indictment. He could face up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case. The court will decide on any sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18. Sears remains detained pending further proceedings.
Court documents reveal that on January 13, 2024, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services responded to reports of a stabbing at Sears' residence. Officers found Sears, a witness identified as John Doe, and the victim identified as Jane Doe at the scene. Jane Doe was discovered bleeding on the living room floor and was pronounced dead there.
In his interview with law enforcement, John Doe stated that he and Jane Doe had gone to Sears' house for drinks when an argument broke out between Jane Doe and Sears. The situation escalated when Sears grabbed a knife and stabbed Jane Doe while she was on the ground. John Doe intervened by pulling Sears off the victim and calling 911. Afterward, Sears disposed of the knife in the kitchen sink.
Sears admitted during questioning that he had argued with Jane Doe before they both ended up rolling on the floor where he stabbed her. Officers later recovered a knife from the kitchen sink matching this account.
An autopsy confirmed that Jane Doe died from a stab wound.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case with investigative efforts led by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.
