On the evening of June 25, 2023, 35-year-old David Wayne Hanks Jr. was found shot to death inside a gray Pontiac G6 with White Earth license plates in Pine Point, Minnesota. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hanks, a member of the Bear Clan, is described as a father, brother and son who was known for his sense of humor and love for his family.

Becker County investigators identified 40-year-old Michael Dwayne Croud of Ogema as a suspect. Witnesses say Croud approached the parked vehicle and shot Hanks multiple times while Hanks sat in the backseat, then fired at another vehicle that was leaving the scene before fleeing. A warrant was issued for Croud on a charge of second-degree murder; the search extended beyond Minnesota.

If anyone has information about David Hanks Jr., the shooting, or movements around Pine Point that evening, please come forward.