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 went missing in South Dakota seven months prior. Chappelle made his initial court appearance on Monday, and the case’s court documents remain sealed. Authorities revealed that Sangrait was killed at the Ellsworth Air Force Base, where Chappelle is stationed.

Chappelle is currently being held at the Pennington County Jail while facing prosecution in federal court, represented by the federal defender's office. Following his charging, Col. Derek Oakley, commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, expressed condolences to Sangrait's family and affirmed the commitment to holding airmen accountable for their actions.

Sangrait's body was discovered on March 4 near the lines of Pennington and Custer counties, and her remains were found in a severely decomposed state. She was reported missing on August 10, prompting an investigation into her disappearance. It remains unclear whether she had any prior connection to Chappelle.

According to her missing person poster, Sangrait was last residing with a friend in Eagle Butte, planning to return to Box Elder, South Dakota to gather her belongings before potentially moving to California. There are currently 59 documented cases of missing Native Americans in South Dakota, with over half being women, highlighting a significant issue that has spurred the formation of task forces to investigate such cases.

Voicemails to both the U.S. attorney's office in South Dakota and the FBI have not yet received responses, and inquiries have been redirected by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the investigating agencies involved in the case.