Former Yelm Community Schools student and U.S. Airman Quinterius Charles Chappelle was arrested on Saturday, March 15, on federal charges for the murder of 21-year-old Indigenous woman Sahela Sangrait.
According to a news release from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota, 24-year-old Chappelle is being held at Pennington County Jail. The active duty airman, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, is accused of murdering Sangrait, who was reported missing on Aug. 10, 2024.
It was determined Sangrait was murdered on Ellsworth Air Force Base, and due to the jurisdiction of the crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is life in custody and a $250,000 fine, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Restitution may also be ordered.
During a court hearing on Monday, March 17, Chappelle appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollman and pleaded not guilty to the federal criminal complaint, the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote.
“This charge, filed just 10 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,” Alison Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, said. “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. At this time, our 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.”
According to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the investigation was an “excellent collaboration” between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including: PCSO, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
In an update written by PCSO on March 12, it was announced that Sangrait was officially identified and her next of kin had been notified. Sangrait was missing for five months before being found by a hiker south of Hill City, near the Pennington County and Custer County line. Officers were dispatched to the location in reference to a badly decomposed body.
According to the release, the victim’s body did not have any identifying information available at the time of her discovery. Further analysis of the remains were scheduled to determine Sangrait’s cause of death and identity.
“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Sahela,” Base Commander Col. Derek Oakley said in a statement. “We hold Airmen accountable for their actions, and if service members are found in violation of military or civilian law, they will be punished. We are working closely with the area law enforcement agencies.”
