A Hays man, Tonylee Andrew Sears, has been sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for the voluntary manslaughter of a woman on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced that Sears was also ordered to pay $4,050 in restitution.
Sears, aged 24, pleaded guilty in February 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case.
According to court documents, law enforcement responded to a report of a stabbing at Sears’ home in the early hours of January 13, 2024. Officers found the victim, referred to as Jane Doe, bleeding on the living room floor and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness reported that he and Jane Doe had visited Sears’ house to drink alcohol and socialize. An argument between Sears and Jane Doe escalated, resulting in Sears stabbing her with a kitchen knife while she was on the ground. The witness intervened and called emergency services after pulling Sears away from Jane Doe. Sears discarded the knife in the kitchen sink.
During his interview with officers, Sears admitted that an argument ensued after Jane Doe made comments about his deceased parents. A physical altercation followed during which he stabbed her while they were scuffling on the floor.
Investigators recovered a blood-stained knife from the kitchen sink. An autopsy determined that Jane Doe died from a stab wound to her trunk which pierced her heart.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case with investigations conducted by both the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.
