Gaylen D. Lee, an elder and historian from the
North Fork Rancheria of
Mono Indians, was killed at his home in California over the weekend. He was 70 years old.
According to the
Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Lee was shot on the evening of Saturday, July 6. Robert Moye Jr., 46, was arrested near Lee's home and is in custody in connection with first degree murder.
“It’s just like somebody grabs your heart and rips it out of your chest,” Michael Lee Sr., the victim’s nephew. told
YourCentralValley.Com of Lee's death.
Lee was the author of
Walking Where We Lived: Memoirs of a Mono Indian Family, a personal account of his family's history. He was known for preserving and sharing Mono culture and history.
“He was so respected in the community, friendly, compassionate, peaceful man that there was,” Oakhurst District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler told
YourCentralValley.Com.
Moye was living in some type of structure on Lee's property,
Sierra News Online reported. Authorities found signs of marijuana and drug production there, the sheriff's office said.
"Narcotics agents are responding to the scene to continue the investigation. Additional felony charges related to the drug recovery may be pending," the sheriff's office said.
Robert Eugene Moye Jr. is currently in custody at the Madera County Department of Corrections for first degree murder...
Posted by Madera County Sheriff's Office on Sunday, July 7, 2019
Read More on the Story
Family remembers prominent Mono Indian Tribe Elder killed Saturday in North Fork
(YourCentralValley.Com July 8, 2019)
Prominent Mono Elder and Author Gaylen Lee Killed Saturday Night in North Fork
(Sierra News Online July 7, 2019)
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