Getting a call or a knock at the door from law enforcement asking you to “come in and answer a few questions” about a murder investigation is one of the most unsettling things a person can experience. Whether you knew the victim, were nearby when something happened, or have no idea why your name came up, the situation feels urgent and frightening.
The decisions you make in the next few hours can shape everything that follows. Before you say a word to investigators, we strongly encourage you to speak with a criminal defense attorney first. That single step may be the most important thing you do. Here at Bolinske Law Firm in Bismarck, we work with people throughout Burleigh County and across North Dakota who find themselves in exactly this situation, often confused, scared, and unsure of their rights.
You Are Not Required to Go
This surprises people. When a detective calls and asks you to come to the station, that request can feel like a legal obligation. It is not, in most cases.
If you have not been arrested, you are generally free to decline that invitation. Law enforcement may frame it as informal, a conversation, a chance to “clear things up.” But there is nothing casual about being questioned in connection with a homicide investigation. Investigators are trained in interrogation techniques, and the environment inside a police station is designed to put pressure on the person being questioned.
That said, refusing to go does not mean being uncooperative or rude. You can politely decline and let them know your attorney will be in touch. That is not obstruction. That is you exercising your constitutional rights.
Understand What Role They Think You Play
Murder investigations involve different categories of people. You might be contacted as a witness, someone who saw or heard something relevant. You might be considered a person of interest, which is a term law enforcement uses when they have not yet focused on a specific suspect but have reasons to want more information from you. Or, in some cases, you may already be considered a suspect, even if investigators have not told you that directly.
About the “witness” framing… this is where things get complicated. People are sometimes told they are being contacted as witnesses when investigators are actually looking at them much more closely. The distinction matters enormously, and you may not know which category applies to you when that call comes in.
We have seen situations where someone came in voluntarily, thinking they were simply helping with an investigation, and walked out facing serious legal exposure. That is not a scare tactic. It is a real pattern that plays out in criminal cases.
Why Talking Without an Attorney Is Risky, Even If You Are Innocent
Frankly, this is the part that people struggle with most. The instinct when you know you did nothing wrong is to explain yourself, to be helpful, to answer questions openly and get it over with. That instinct is understandable. It is also potentially dangerous.
Consider this scenario. You were at a gathering near the area where something happened. You left around 9:00 p.m. You tell investigators that, trying to be helpful. But your memory of the timeline is slightly off. Maybe you actually left closer to 9:45. That small inconsistency, in the context of a homicide investigation, can raise questions about your credibility and your account of the evening.
Investigators can legally use certain tactics during questioning. Statements made under pressure, even well-intentioned ones, can be taken out of context or misinterpreted. Casual comments can create problems that did not exist before you walked into that room. This is not about assuming bad faith on anyone’s part. It is about understanding that the stakes in a murder investigation are extraordinarily high, and that the legal process is not designed for informal conversation.
To clarify that last point: we are not suggesting investigators are always acting improperly. Many are doing their jobs professionally. But their job and your interests are not the same thing in that room. That is precisely why having your own legal representation matters.
What to Actually Do When You Get That Call
Stay calm. That is genuinely the first thing. A panicked reaction, whether that means agreeing to go immediately or saying things you do not mean, rarely helps.
Get the officer’s name, their agency, and a callback number. You are not required to answer questions on the spot. You can tell them politely that you will have your attorney reach out. If they push back or suggest that cooperating now will look better, understand that this is a common tactic. How things “look” is far less important than protecting your legal rights.
Contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Not after the weekend. Not after you think about it for a day. The timing here matters. The earlier an attorney can get involved, the more options are available to you.
Do not discuss the investigation with anyone other than your attorney. Not friends, not family members, not on social media. Anything you say to others can potentially be used later, and well-meaning people sometimes share information in ways that create complications.
Reaching Out to Bolinske Law Firm
We work with clients in Bismarck, Mandan, and throughout the surrounding region who are facing serious criminal inquiries. If law enforcement has reached out to you in connection with a murder investigation, whether you are a witness, a person of interest, or something in between, we encourage you to contact us before you respond to investigators.
Early involvement from a defense attorney gives you the clearest picture of your rights, your options, and the best path forward. We are here when you need us, and reaching out early prevents problems that are far harder to address later.