Man sentenced to 45 years for shotgun slaying of his child's mother

WALKER - A Cass Lake man has been ordered to serve 45 years in prison for second-degree intentional murder.

Ross Zangigabo Littlewolf, 28, also was sentenced Monday in Cass County District Court for two counts of second-degree assault with a firearm.

Littlewolf pleaded guilty in March to the shotgun slaying of 22-year-old Kandace Blaine Dunn. The two parented a child together.

A news release from the Cass County Attorney's Office said Littlewolf was sentenced by Judge John Smith based on a plea agreement Littlewolf reached with prosecutors.

According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officials responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a residence in Cass Lake shortly after 3 a.m. last June 26. Once there, officers found Dunn, who had been killed by a gunshot wound to her head.

Court papers state the investigation revealed Dunn had been sleeping in the residence, sharing a room with her two children. Littlewolf is the father of one of the children.

Another adult couple was sleeping in a separate bedroom. The adult couple advised officers that they were awakened shortly before 3 a.m. by a loud noise believed to be a gunshot. Shortly after that they heard another gunshot, heard Dunn scream and then heard one more gunshot.

Littlewolf, who was known to them, subsequently entered their bedroom, aimed the gun at them, and threatened to kill both of them. He then told them to take care of the children and left the residence.

Investigators said Littlewolf gained entry into the home through a sliding glass door. He was arrested at a relative's house approximately five hours later.