Donald George McDougal, 49, at the time of his arrest, escorted from the courthouse following arraignment. Photo courtesy Luke Hagen / The Daily Republic

Mitchell man found not guilty in death of Indian woman
Richie Richards
Native Sun News Managing Editor

MITCHELL –– Despite a Davison County coroner’s report declaring Janie McDougal’s cause of death a homicide, a jury made up of nine white men and three white women found her husband, Donald George McDougal, now 50, not guilty of first-degree murder on Nov. 20.

McDougal was also found not guilty on alternate counts of second-degree murder including first and second-degree manslaughter following the death of his wife on Sept. 1, 2014.

A shoelace found on the scene is believed by investigators to be the item used in the murder of Janie McDougal, a member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. Though, her husband claims her death was a suicide.

During the trial, next door neighbor Kim Degen testified she had heard arguing in the McDougal’s apartment and after a period, recounts the husband leaving the home, only to return later that night.

Upon returning to their apartment on Main Street in Mitchell, the married couple continued to fight. Degen testified, that was until, “everything went silent.”

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(Contact Richie Richards Managing Editor at editor@nsweekly.com)

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