On May 12, 2022, the body of 52-year-old William Harold Hess Jr. was found inside a homemade camper in a wooded area west of 380th Avenue in Hill Lake Township, Hill City, Minnesota. People who were mudding discovered the camper and alerted the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was a single bullet wound to the skull, the projectile having entered through the eye and remained lodged inside the skull.

The investigation led to the arrest of William’s brother, 48-year-old James Robert Hess, who was charged with second-degree murder and booked into the Aitkin County Jail. Court documents say James had expressed anger over alleged break-ins and exchanged text messages with a man named Adam in which he threatened to end the matter once and for all. Bail was set at $1 million or a $500,000 non-cash bond with conditions; additional charges were noted as pending.

Family ties and a short, violent encounter appear central to this case. Does anyone have information about William’s movements before May 12, 2022, or about the circumstances that led to the brothers’ dispute?