Man pleads guilty to murdering girlfriend on Red Lake Indian reservation

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A northern Minnesota man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the 2019 murder of a woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office said William Jones IV, 24, of Ponemah, pleaded guilty to second degree murder on November 6, 2019, assaulting his girlfriend who later died of her injuries.

According to prosecutors, Jones beat the victim in their home, hitting her on the shoulders, arms and chest. After the assault, the victim fell and hit his head. Jones did not call for help, although the victim was unconscious for two days inside the house.

“This defendant not only perpetrated an extremely violent assault on his victim, he showed total disregard for human life when he did not seek medical help,” the US prosecutor said by interim W. Anders Folk, in a statement. “The US Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who commit horrific acts of domestic violence like this, which disproportionately afflict Native American women. “

When the victim’s mother saw her daughter’s condition, she phoned authorities and emergency teams took the victim to a hospital in Fargo. Doctors determined that the victim had suffered a head injury and was in a persistent vegetative state. The victim died later that month.

A sentencing date for Jones has yet to be set.

Resources on domestic violence

For anonymous and confidential help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

People can also call the Women Lawyers Crisis Hotline at 651-227-8284. Video chat is available here.

Copyright 2021 KVLY. All rights reserved.