A Billings woman, Dameka Rose American Horse, age 26, was arraigned today on charges of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The case concerns an incident that allegedly took place near Pryor on the Crow Indian Reservation on November 22, 2024.
According to the indictment, American Horse is accused of unlawfully and intentionally killing an individual identified as John Doe and aiding and abetting in the act. She also faces charges for allegedly possessing a firearm during the commission of this violent crime.
American Horse pleaded not guilty to both counts during her appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan. She has been detained pending further proceedings.
"If convicted of the most serious crime charged in the indictment, American Horse faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release," U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are leading the investigation.
Authorities emphasized that "the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
Those interested in following developments in this case can monitor its progress through the U.S. District Court Calendar or access documents via PACER. To register for electronic access to court documents, visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. For the District Court’s calendar, see https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
