BEMIDJI, MONTANA – On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, Montana O.A. Cutbank, age 21, of Cass Lake, MN was arraigned in Beltrami County District Court in front of the Honorable Judge John Melbye for 2nd Degree Intentional Murder. One week ago, on the evening of November 24, 2020, at approximately 9:46 PM, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center received a report from the Cass County 911 Center of an adult male being shot outside a residence at 15583 Roosevelt Rd SE in Ten Lakes Township, in rural Cass Lake, MN.
Beltrami County Sheriff’s Deputies, Leech Lake Tribal Police Officers, and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene and found the victim deceased from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. Deputies immediately began to gather information to include a description and license plate number of a vehicle used during the incident. Deputies and Officers from each agency, along with agents and crime scene team of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension began to process information and evidence from the scene which resulted in locating the suspect vehicle.
Subsequent Interviews were conducted after the vehicle was located and it was determined that three other people were present in the vehicle with Cutbank when he shot the victim. According to the witnesses, an argument had taken place, when Cutbank brandished a sawed-off shotgun and fired it, striking the victim in the head and killing him. The weapon used in the crime was later located and secured into evidence.
Law Enforcement continued to develop information throughout the following days, including the Thanksgiving Holiday, which now had expanded to include BCA Agents from the Duluth Field Office. BCA Agents in Duluth developed information of the location of Cutbank and he was subsequently arrested by the Duluth Police Department and was transported by Beltrami County Deputies back to Bemidji, where he was booked into the Beltrami County.
The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the assistance in this investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Leech Lake Tribal Police Department and Agents and Crime Scene Team from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension of the Bemidji and Duluth Field Offices as well as the Duluth Police Department.