Timothy Jacob Hollan, 73, of Miller, Missouri, was arrested in Kansas City, Kansas, following a federal grand jury indictment for a 1999 murder in Adair County, Oklahoma. The charges include one count of Murder in Indian Country and one count of Causing the Death of Another Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). If convicted, Hollan faces either the death penalty or life imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
The indictment alleges that Hollan unlawfully killed an Indigenous victim with premeditation and malice aforethought in September 1999 within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation. It further claims that Hollan used and discharged a firearm during the crime.
Multiple agencies participated in the investigation: Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, Adair County Sheriff’s Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. In November 2023, deputies recovered the victim’s remains from an abandoned well in rural Adair County. DNA analysis confirmed the identity earlier this year.
Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior stated: “The Missing and Murdered Unit was established by President Trump during his first term to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous persons, ensuring that unresolved cases receive renewed attention and investigative resources. This joint investigation exemplifies the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit's efforts to bring justice, accountability, and closure to families impacted by violence in Indian Country. By working closely with tribal communities, federal law enforcement, and local partners, we are honoring victims and strengthening public safety.”
Authorities emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
