In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a 24-year-old airman faces serious charges in connection with the death of a Native American woman who disappeared around seven months ago.
Quinterius Chappelle has been formally accused of the second-degree murder of Sahela Sangrait, a case that has drawn significant attention in the region. Sangrait, 21, was reportedly killed in August at Ellsworth Air Force Base in western South Dakota. Chappelle, an active-duty airman stationed at the base, made his first appearance in court on Monday.
Despite the details being sealed in court documents, Chappelle is being prosecuted in a federal court, with the federal defender’s office managing his legal representation. A representative from the office declined to issue any comments on the matter. Chappelle is currently detained at the Pennington County Jail.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Chappelle has entered a plea of not guilty, but if he is found guilty, he risks facing a life sentence. At the Ellsworth base, Chappelle serves as an aircraft inspection journeyman with the 28th Maintenance Squadron, having commenced his service in April 2019.
The commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, Col. Derek Oakley, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Sahela,” and emphasizing that airmen are accountable for their conduct under the law.
The tragic discovery of Sangrait’s body occurred on March 4, found by a hiker near the borders of Pennington and Custer Counties. Her disappearance, first reported on August 10, culminated in her severely decomposed remains being discovered. The cause of death remains classified by officials.
Sangrait was a resident of Box Elder, South Dakota, home to the Ellsworth base, although authorities have not disclosed any prior connection between her and Chappelle.
A social media post about her disappearance indicated that Sangrait was last known to have been with a friend in Eagle Butte, with plans to return to Box Elder to collect her belongings before a possible move to California. It is unclear if she ever reached her intended destination in Box Elder.
As a Native American, Sangrait’s case surfaces amid ongoing concerns highlighted by the attorney general’s record of 59 missing Native Americans in South Dakota, more than half of whom are women. This case underscores the efforts of federal and state task forces dedicated to addressing the troubling pattern of missing and murdered Indigenous individuals nationwide.