Fatal stabbing sends Lame Deer man to prison for six years

BILLINGS—Lame Deer resident Darrell Lee Whiteman, Jr., who admitted to fatally stabbing a person during an argument on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to 73 months in prison and three years of supervised release,  U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Whiteman, 29, pleaded guilty in February to voluntary manslaughter.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

Prosecutors said evidence would show that on March 4, 2017, Whiteman was at a Lame Deer residence, drinking with others. Whiteman got into an argument with his girlfriend, and the victim told Whiteman to stop. Whiteman and the victim then got into a fight that was broken up by another person.

The victim went to the kitchen for a drink of water, and Whiteman grabbed a knife from the kitchen. The fight between the two continued. Whiteman reached around another individual who was in between the two and stabbed the victim once in the chest. Whiteman left the residence and the victim later died.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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