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Search warrants reveal vehicle possibly involved in Mille Lacs hit-and-run

The sheriff is also calling the owner of the vehicle a "person of interest", but KARE 11 doesn't typically name people not charged with a crime.

MILLE LACS, Minn. — There's been a break in the hit-and-run death of a beloved doctor near Mille Lacs. 

It happened back on Nov. 13 along Highway 169, near the casino, when Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton says a driver hit and killed Dr. Cathy Donovan.

Court documents reveal Dr. Donovan lived near where her body was found and that she had been out walking her dog that afternoon.

"I was completely shocked because I’ve known Dr. Donovan for a very long time," said Sheriff Burton. "It’s much more impactful in a small community than in a big city where not everybody knows everybody."

Dr. Donovan's family spoke publicly a month after her death and offered a $10,000 reward. 

A new search warrant shows investigators have found several key pieces of evidence and even seized a Tesla. Cameras captured a similar vehicle in the area and several witnesses did too, even reporting seeing a body on the hood.  

Deputies also found a windshield wiper near Dr. Donovan's body.

Investigators authored several other search warrants, requesting a cell phone tower dump data on a cell phone tower near the scene that belonged to the owner of the Tesla. 

According to the search warrant, the owner denied striking Dr. Donovan and leaving the scene and said that he didn't know about her fatality, saying he does drive that way to his cabin.

"Certainly not saying this is 100% the car or the person, we don't know that yet, but it's one of the more significant breaks we've caught in the case so far," said Sheriff Burton. "And I don't think they're done yet; I think there's going to be more to come."

Investigators will process data from the Tesla's computer hard drive, along with any forensic evidence including blood, skin cells and hair. The search warrant says that when a Tesla vehicle is involved in an accident, certain types of data are collected and stored internally in the vehicle. 

"If this had happened 10 years ago, I don’t know that we would have been able to find this vehicle in particular," said Sheriff Burton, who said cases like this aren't usually solved quickly.

Charges have not been filed against the owner of the Tesla and KARE 11 doesn't typically name people before that happens. 

"The important thing at the end of the day is to get it right because we owe it to the family and we owe it to Dr. Donovan to do that," said Sheriff Burton. 

The sheriff says investigators have put in thousands of hours of work and they're still asking for more tips. He says the reward money is available if anyone can help solve this case once and for all. 

If you have any information, you can contact the sergeant in charge, Jason Brown. He can be reached at 218-316-3026 or jason.brown@state.mn.us.

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