Yankton Sioux Tribe Tribe mourns loss of mother and two children

Monday, January 31, 2011  

Three members of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota were found dead in North Dakota on Friday.

Jolene Zephier, 38, and two of her children, Dylan Zephier, 13, and Sabrina Zephier, 19, were shot to death. Also killed was Jeremy Longie, 22, who was not believed to be a tribal member.

"They're really kind of caught off guard," Chairman Robert Cournoyer told the Associated Press of the reaction to the killings. "I think people can't believe how that happened, especially the tragedy of it all."

Authorities in North Dakota have question a person of interest but have not identified the person.

Get the Story:
Tribe mourns shooting victims (AP 1/30)
Mother, 2 kids, boyfriend dead in ND shootings (The Bismarck Tribune 1/29)