FARGO - US Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on Jan. 24, 2017, Dallas Wayne Thundershield, 36, Fort Totten, ND, was sentenced before US District Judge Ralph R. Erickson to serve the rest of his natural life in prison and serve 5 years of supervised release. Judge Erickson also ordered that Thundershield pay a special assessment of $400 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and to pay restitution in the amount of $150,032.19 which he left open for 60 days. On October 26, 2016, a federal jury found that Thundershield guilty of 2nd Degree Murder, Assault with Intent to Commit Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury following a six-day trial.
On April 9, 2016, Thundershield and a female companion accepted a ride with Elvis Demarce and Richard Demarce on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. After driving around with the couple on numerous errands in the local area, an argument began between Thundershield and Elvis Demarce. Within a few moments of time, Thundershield had stabbed Elvis Demarce multiple times in the torso, and mortally wounded Richard Demarce with a single stab wound to the chest, piercing his heart. The female companion became alarmed and called the police four times while these events were happening to report the stabbing but hung up each time in fear of being detected by Thundershield.
Thundershield left the bodies on the side of the road and drove Elvis Demarce’s vehicle to a residence near Hamar, ND, where he had been staying. In the early morning hours of April 10, 2016, while at the same residence, Thundershield assaulted his female companion; as a result of that assault, she received substantial bodily injury. Police were called to that residence and Thundershield was arrested without further incident.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs-Fort Totten, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant US Attorneys Janice Morley and Matthew Greenley prosecuted the case.