The investigation into the death of Lisa Kinnunen in December 2018 was closed in July of 2019, according to FBI documents recently obtained by the Daily Mining Gazette through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Kinnunen was found by her boyfriend in his backyard backyard in Baraga on the morning of Dec. 15, 2018. The Gazette previously reported she was found without clothing, but the FBI report states she was “…found with light clothing…,” unsuitable for the cold weather, but doesn’t describe what that clothing is.

When asked, Special Agent Mara Schneider — a public affairs officer stationed with the FBI in Detroit — was also unable to provide more detail about the clothing.

Because of the tribal jurisdiction of the death, both the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police and the FBI worked on the investigation, with Tribal Police taking the lead.

An autopsy was conducted by the Kent County Medical Examiner’s Office. The FBI file states that a definitive cause of death could not be determined, but “…foul-play could not be ruled out and Kinnunen was found to have an injury to the back of her head and a possible concussion.”

One person agreed to be polygraphed, and another declined.

Identities of those polygraphed, the FBI agents directly involved in the investigation, and others are redacted from the FOIA files according to US codes pertaining to personal and medical privacy, law enforcement effectiveness and security, and more. An explanation of FOIA exemptions used to make redactions is available at vault.fbi.gov/explanation-of-exemptions.

According to the synopsis of the polygraph, Kinnunen and two others were drinking heavily the night of Dec. 14, 2018 before the others left Kinnunen and went to the casino around 11 p.m.. The interviewee said they did not see Kinnunen again that night. The next morning, Kinnunen’s body was found near the fence of the dog run when the dog was let out. The person being polygraphed denied any involvement in Kinnunen’s death.

The FBI record also states that some of the neighbors reported hearing arguing coming from the couple’s trailer during early-morning hours.

A letter from the Assistant United States Attorney’s office in Marquette dated April 17, 2019 stated, in part:

“Our office has had the opportunity to review the investigation into the above-referenced individual. The investigation stemmed from the report of the death of a native female within the boundaries of the tribe’s reservation.”

Kinnunen was non-native, which the FBI file accurately recorded. Schneider does not believe the error was material to the decision not to prosecute the case. A representative of the AUSA said that their office does not comment on investigations.

The AUSA letter goes on to decline federal prosecution of the case.

The FBI documents acknowledge receipt of the letter on July 12, 2019 and record the case being closed on July 18 of the same year.

According to Schneider, cases being closed after prosecution is declined is quite common. She said the case could be reopened if additional information or evidence that proves guilt surfaces, or if the prosecution becomes more willing to try the case.

KBIC Tribal Police have not returned requests for comment.