UPDATE: Fatal Christmas Day Shooting in Northern Township Near Bemidji

UPDATE: As of December 29th, 2020, according to a release from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Janelle Johnson has officially been charged with 2nd Degree Intentional Murder. No update on the charges faced by Austin Johnson.

ORIGINAL STORY: On Saturday, Dec. 26 at approximately 12:11 AM, The Beltrami County Dispatch center received a call about a shooting that happened after a verbal argument and resulted in one fatality.

According to the release from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, 36-year old Janelle L. Johnson of Bemidji reported one hour earlier that she and her husband, 36-year old Austin L. Johnson, traveled to her brother-in-law’s house located in the 5000 block of Lavina Road NE in Northern Township to confront him over alleged domestic abuse incident(s) between he and Janelle’s sister.

The release says a verbal argument ensued that then became physical, where at that point it is alleged that Janelle Johnson brandished a firearm that Austin Johnson had brought with him to the residence and shot her brother-in-law, 48-year old Jesse A. Farris. They then left the residence and later reported the incident to law enforcement.

Deputies responded to the residence and located Farris deceased outside the residence. The results of a preliminary autopsy completed by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

Janelle Johnson is currently being held in the Beltrami County Jail under a charge of 2nd Degree Murder. Austin Johnson is currently being held in the Beltrami County Jail under a charge of Aiding an Offender.

Both are expected to be arraigned in Beltrami County District Court on Tuesday, December 29th.