BILLINGS – Birney resident Randy Lee Littlebird admitted
today to murdering a woman by strangling her with a rope in their residence on
the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation last year, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme
said.
Littlebird, 35, pleaded guilty to second degree murder,
strangulation and domestic abuse by habitual offender.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided. Judge Watters
continued Littlebird’s detention and set sentencing for Nov. 6, 2019.
Littlebird faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000
fine and three years of supervised release on the murder charge, and a maximum
10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on
the strangulation and domestic abuse charges.
In court records filed by the prosecution, Littlebird killed
the victim on Feb. 4, 2018 at a shared residence in Birney. Littlebird and the
victim were drinking alcohol throughout the day and were drunk. Another
individual in the house heard a confrontation between the two and the victim
yell, “No Randy, don’t, don’t,” then her scream, followed by silence.
Littlebird entered the individual’s room and said that the
victim was unresponsive. The individual found the victim lying on the floor
near a rope. Littlebird claimed the victim had killed herself and he had moved
the body.
An autopsy determined the cause of death was ligature
strangulation and multiple blunt force injuries.
In an interview with FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs agents
on Feb. 6, 2018, Littlebird confessed to fatally strangling the victim. He
admitted to tying ropes around the victim’s ankles to prevent her from leaving
and then he left the room. When he returned, the two argued some more.
Littlebird grabbed the rope, which was now around the victim’s neck, and while
standing, pulled on it, strangling her.
Littlebird has four prior domestic abuse conviction on the
Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case,
which was investigated by the FBI and BIA.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment