An active-duty airman was arrested on Friday for allegedly killing a 21-year-old girl on an air base in South Dakota, in accordance with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Workplace.
Quinterius Chappelle, 24, an active-duty airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Pressure Base in South Dakota, faces second-degree homicide fees for allegedly killing 21-year-old Sahela Sangrait, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned in a statement on Saturday.
On March 4, a hiker found Sangrait’s physique at a location south of Hill Metropolis, South Dakota, close to the Pennington County and Cluster County line.
Lacking servicemember Sahela Sangrait was final seen at Ellsworth Air Pressure Base in Fast Metropolis, S.D.
South Dakota Lacking Individuals by way of Meta
Officers mentioned the human stays have been “badly decomposed,” and the physique was later recognized as Sangrait, who had been lacking since Aug. 10, 2024.
Sangrait was final identified to be staying with a good friend in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, and mentioned she was touring to Field Elder, South Dakota, “to get a few of her issues, then deliberate to journey to California,” in accordance with a missing persons poster shared on Fb.
Authorities decided that Sangrait was murdered on the air base. The connection between Chappelle and Sangrait has not but been made clear.
“This investigation has been a wonderful collaboration of native, state and federal legislation enforcement companies in our space to incorporate the Pennington County Sheriff’s Workplace, Fast Metropolis Police Division, South Dakota Division of Legal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Lacking and Murdered Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Pressure Workplace of Particular Investigations,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned in a press release.
The suspect is being held at Pennington County Jail and no bond has been established, in accordance with jail data. It’s not but clear whether or not Chappelle has authorized illustration.
Chappelle entered the service in April 2019 and was working as an plane inspection journeyman, in accordance with Ellsworth Air Pressure Base.
Ellsworth Air Pressure Base in Fast Metropolis, S.D.
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The bottom’s “ideas and prayers are with the family and friends of Sahela,” Col. Derek Oakley, the twenty eighth Bomb Wing commander at Ellsworth, instructed ABC Information. He added they’re working intently with legislation enforcement companies.
“We maintain airmen accountable for his or her actions, and if service members are present in violation of navy or civilian legislation, they are going to be punished,” Oakley mentioned in a press release to ABC Information.
The case might be prosecuted by the USA Lawyer’s Workplace, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
Anybody with further data associated to Sangrait’s homicide ought to contact the Fast Metropolis FBI workplace at 605-343-9632.
