William Dallas Chaboyea guilty in '96 murder of Native Gangster Disciple

William Chaboyea shot a member of the Native Gangster Disciples more than 15 years ago.

Chaboyea was part of the Native Mob, a rival gang with a reputation for carrying big guns and not hesitating to use them. This is the exact scenario that played out in a Minneapolis alley more than 15 years ago, prosecutors say, and Chaboyea will likely face a 20-year sentence for the intentional second-degree murder charge.

According to the charges, Michael Baldeagle, a member of the Gangster Disciples, came across an alley on the 1700 block of 27th Avenue East on that May night in '96. Baldeagle and a few others saw about a half-dozen people, including Chaboyea, walking through after a party.

Despite pleas from his friends, Baldeagle approached the group and flashed the Gangster Disciples sign. Chaboyea responded by pulling out a shotgun and firing multiple rounds as Baldeagle tried to run away.

The brutal murder went unsolved until last May, when the Hennepin County Attorneys Office charged Chaboyea with murder in the second degree and intentional second degree murder to benefit a gang.

Chaboyea's trial was set to begin Monday. As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the latter charge. He will appear in court for sentencing on February 13.

For more about Native American gangs in Minnesota, read our November 9 cover story, "The Banishing."

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