{KXLG – South Dakota} United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Reno Rondeau, a 51-year-old man from Manderson, South Dakota, on charges of First Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, and Arson. Rondeau was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded not guilty to the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on January 3, 2025.
The charges stem from an incident in October 2024, when Rondeau allegedly set fire to his brother’s residence near Manderson. The fire resulted in the death of Rondeau’s brother’s friend, while his brother suffered burn injuries but managed to escape. The residence was completely destroyed.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Rondeau faces a mandatory life sentence in custody, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case under the Major Crimes Act, which mandates that certain violent crimes occurring in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI are conducting the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox handling the prosecution.
Rondeau has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, for which a date has not yet been set. It is important to note that these charges are merely accusations, and Rondeau is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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