Little Soldier denies new allegations against Lakota Ranch

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October 19, 2012

Little Soldier denies new allegations against Lakota Ranch

By BRAD KELLAR Herald-Banner Staff The Herald-Banner Fri Oct 19, 2012, 04:44 PM CDT

GREENVILLE — Arby Little Soldier said he is tired of answering allegations concerning funds donated to the Lakota Ranch in the wake of the death of Lightning Medicine Cloud.

Although local law enforcement and prosecutors say they have not seen any evidence of criminal wrongdoing, Little Soldier said he was recently contacted by a Dallas television station conducting an investigation into thousands of dollars contributed to the ranch following the death of the rare white buffalo earlier this year.

“They are wanting to go on a fraud situation,” Little Soldier said. “There is nothing there to show we misspent anything.”

In late August, Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks closed his office’s investigation into the deaths of Lightning Medicine Cloud and his mother, Buffalo Woman, claiming they died of natural causes, rather than by violence, at the ranch just west of Greenville.

At that time Meeks told the Herald-Banner no criminal charges were expected to be filed in connection with the investigation.

“We’ve talked to the DA and he didn’t see anything criminal done here,” Meeks said.

Hunt County District Attorney Noble D. Walker Jr. said Friday that his office was not involved in any other probe of Little Soldier or the ranch.

“I have not had anything filed and I am not aware of anything,” Walker said.

But Little Soldier said the television station has been investigating what happened to between $5,000 and $6,000 donated to the ranch in the days and weeks following Lightning’s death. Little Soldier said a check and cash funds all had accompanying notifications on how it was to be used.

“It said go ahead and use it where needed,” he said, adding the money was spent on the Native American Scholarship Pow Wow, which was held at the ranch during two days of rain in May. “We needed it for the Pow Wow, so that’s where we used it.”

Little Soldier said the City of Greenville has also declined to provide the Pow Wow with funds collected from local hotel/motel taxes, which are to be designated for boosting tourism.

“The mayor is asking about this now and what is going on,” he said.

Little Soldier still takes exception to the sheriff’s report that said Lightning Medicine Cloud and Buffalo Woman died of black leg, a bacterial infection, calling for additional investigation into what he believes is the violence behind their deaths.

“Let’s get to the justice,” Little Soldier said. “I’m disappointed that we are still not to the bottom of it yet.”

As for the funds, he explained the money used for the Pow Wow was kept separate from approximately $50,00 which was either donated or pledged toward a reward offered for information in connection with Lightning Medicine Cloud’s death, adding the amounts have been reviewed by an auditor.

“Everything’s there,” Little Soldier said. “There’s no lie about it.”