A North Dakota man is facing murder charges connected to the shooting deaths of his sister and niece, despite his claims that mysterious men in ski masks made him do it.
Johnnie "Jay" Gaking, faces second-degree murder charges and a charge of attempted murder for allegedly opening fire on family members March 4 at a home at the Spirit Lake Reservation, Valley News Live reported.
According to the arrest affidavit, Gaking told law enforcement that men in ski masks had been stalking him and made him kill at gunpoint. However, a witness who lived in the home told authorities that Gaking "shot everybody."
The witness said that Gaking had not been sleeping.
"That morning Gaking was 'tripping,' and throwing things around, and started crying," the document states. Gaking also claimed people were after him and trying to kill him. Eventually, Gaking threatened to throw his relatives out of the house if they didn't believe his story that people were after him.
"If you f------ don't want to believe me, I'm gonna kill all you f------ then," Gaking said, according to the witness. The witness said he was not in the bedroom but heard Gaking and saw him enter the bedroom. He then heard the shots.
Gaking is alleged to have shot and killed his sister, Tiana Sharel Walking Eagle, and her 3-year-old daughter, Lokie. He is also alleged to have shot and wounded his mother.
The witness said he heard Gaking say, "You're next" and believed Gaking went to reload the gun. The witness told police he ran for his life and when he did so he heard three more shots being fired.
After the shooting, Gaking went to the home of another person he knew. A witness at the home described Gaking as having "crazy eyes." Gaking allegedly told the witness "they're all dead, I didn't do it." The witness noticed fresh blood on Gaking and told police that he believed that Gaking had stabbed himself while at the residence.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
