Cass Lake Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years for Killing Man in 2021 Drive-By Shooting

William Joseph Headbird

A 47-year-old Cass Lake man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for shooting and killing a man in Cass lake in a drive-by shooting in 2021.

Last year, William Joseph Headbird pleaded guilty to the charges of ineligible possession of a firearm and second-degree murder. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 19-and-a-half years in prison. Cass County Attorney Ben Lindstrom reports that is the high end of what is permitted by Minnesota sentencing guidelines.

The deadly shooting took place early in the morning on July 5th, 2021 following a verbal altercation at a 4th of July party. Headbird was arrested following a year-long investigation by several law enforcement agencies looking to identify the shooter.