Airman charged in killing of Native American woman who went missing 7 months ago in South Dakota

A 24-year-old airman, Quinterius Chappelle, has been charged with the second-degree murder of Sahela Sangrait, a 21-year-old Native American woman who had been missing for approximately seven months. Chappelle made his initial court appearance recently, with the court documents regarding the case currently sealed. It has been reported that the murder occurred on the Ellsworth Air Force Base in western South Dakota, where Chappelle is stationed.

Chappelle is assigned to the 28th Maintenance Squadron at Ellsworth and has been in service since April 2019. He is being prosecuted in federal court, with representation from the federal defender's office. As of now, he remains in custody at the Pennington County Jail. The commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, Col. Derek Oakley, expressed condolences for Sangrait’s family and emphasized the importance of accountability among service members.

Sahela Sangrait’s remains were discovered by a hiker on March 4 near the boundary between Pennington and Custer counties. She had been reported missing on August 10, 2023, and her body showed signs of significant decomposition. Officials confirmed that Sangrait was originally from Box Elder, South Dakota, and were unable to disclose any information about a possible connection between her and Chappelle.

Prior to her disappearance, Sangrait was reportedly staying with a friend in Eagle Butte and was in the process of returning to Box Elder to retrieve personal belongings before heading to California. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unclear, as it is uncertain whether she ever reached Box Elder.

Sangrait’s case highlights a broader issue, as there are currently 59 cases of missing Native Americans in South Dakota, with over half of them being women. In response to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people, federal and state task forces have been established to investigate these troubling cases. Queries directed to the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI regarding the investigation have not yet received responses.