Police ask for tips in unsolved murder case

Morton County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant Tom Sharp said “persons of interest” have been interviewed, and, in one case, a polygraph test has been administered. He said while there is not enough evidence for an arrest at this time, there are suspects.

“We hope we get a good break and somebody gives us information that leads to an arrest,” Sharp said. “We really would like anybody with a tip or information to come forward.”

Grey Bull’s body was found by the Heart River near Mandan’s east end on Sept. 23, 2022. Results of an autopsy show he died from injuries caused by a sharp object.

Grey Bull, who was 65, is remembered for his quiet and kind nature.

“He kind of stayed in the background, but he was really nice,” Cheryl Kary, executive director of Sacred Pipe Resource Center said. “He was one of the most polite people you’d ever meet. And truly that’s most of the homeless population. They’re very polite, generous and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Kary said she and other employees at Sacred Pipe Resource Center do homeless outreach every fourth months, handing out seasonal bags with necessities such as snacks, bug spray and winter hats. That was how they got to know Grey Bull.

Sacred Pipe Resource Center held a vigil for Grey Bull in 2023, a year after his death. Community members gathered to share stories and ensure Grey Bull is not forgotten.

Kary said a tip box was set up at the gathering that led to two tips, which she sent to police. She said she never heard back from authorities and doesn’t know if the tips were investigated or if they led to a suspect.

Lorraine Davis, founder and CEO of Native Inc., has assisted the local homeless population since her organization started in 2019. She offers culturally based healing programs, housing assistance and transportation for people without homes in Bismarck and Fargo.

She said homelessness is a systematic problem rooted in a lack of funding and policy. While she didn’t know Grey Bull personally, Davis said she’s heard others describe him as a peaceful man.

What happened to him is anything but.

“We need to take a more serious and rapid response for homeless people,” Davis said. “The violence, the rapes the killings — all of that is happening.”

In August 2025, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported nearly 900 homeless people in the state.

“I think if anything, I would hope that his death could be a call to action for law enforcement and the city of Bismarck, because nobody should die that kind of death and there be no progress on it,” Kary said.

Tips and information can be sent to the Morton County Sheriff’s Office at 701-667-3330.