{KXLG – South Dakota} An airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base has been charged with Second Degree Murder in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found earlier this month near Hill City, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Quinterius Charles Chappelle, 24, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on Monday, March 17, 2025, and entered a plea of not guilty to a federal Criminal Complaint.
The complaint alleges that Chappelle killed Sahela Toka Win Sangrait on Ellsworth Air Force Base in August 2024. Sangrait’s remains were discovered in a wooded area near Hill City, South Dakota, earlier in March.
Upon conviction, Chappelle faces a maximum penalty of life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court may also order restitution.
U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell commended the collaborative efforts of law enforcement in the investigation. “This charge, filed just ten days after the victim’s remains were discovered, reflects the dogged work of federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals who seamlessly collaborated to run down every lead with absolute expediency and care,” Ramsdell stated in the press release.
Ramsdell also emphasized the presumption of innocence, noting, “Under the criminal justice system, this charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty; the facts and evidence, in this case, will be litigated before a federal judge and jury.” She added that her office’s “hearts are with the victim’s family and friends, who after many agonizing months of searching for answers, are now grieving the tragic death of their loved one.”
The FBI is investigating Sangrait’s death, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Benjamin Schroeder are prosecuting the case.
Chappelle was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
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