MILLE LACS, Minn — One year after the death of a beloved central Minnesota doctor, her family is pleading for justice.
Dr. Cathy Ann Donovan was struck by a vehicle and killed as the 56-year-old walked her dogs along Highway 169 near her home just outside Onamia, Minnesota, on Nov. 13, 2023.
The family is still pleading for justice.
"I think it was the assistant medical examiner who was one of the first people on the scene and just sat there with her and she told me that and so it's been very hard for them," said Donovan's twin sister Robin Councilman. "This isn't just a case, this is their doctor, their friend, their neighbor."
Donovan - who worked at Mille Lacs Health System - was known by colleagues for her "strong and compassionate" leadership. She is survived by two adult children and her sisters and parents.
"It was a relationship so close, we knew what was going on with each other sometimes without even saying," said Councilman. "I had never taken a breath that she wasn't also breathing."
The area where Donovan was hit is fairly remote and there's no description of the vehicle involved, but law enforcement asked residents to watch for vehicles with "significant front-end damage."
At one point investigators believed a Twin Cities resident who owns a Tesla was involved in the fatal hit-and-run, but charges were never filed and eventually authorities said that driver had been ruled out as a suspect.
The sheriff said any of the dozen or so vehicles of interest have since been cleared. He said they're looking for a car that wasn't caught on camera and only seen by witnesses near the area. He said it's silver and similar to a Ford Focus.
The reward for a tip leading to an arrest in Donovan's death has grown to $25,000.
Anyone with information on the fatal incident or the driver responsible is asked to contact the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office at 320-983-8346.
"That’s my hope, that somebody will decide to come forward," said Councilman. "We need to know, we need to stop worrying every time the phone rings is this going to be the answer or not."