“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,” said Alison Ramsdell, US Attorney for the District of South Dakota, in a press release posted March 17.
The base is cooperating with law enforcement officials as the case progresses.
Sangrait’s tragic death highlights a larger, deeply troubling issue— the disproportionate rates at which Native American women and individuals go missing or are murdered, especially in South Dakota.
According to the state’s attorney general’s missing persons database, there are currently 59 cases of missing Native Americans in South Dakota, with more than half of these cases involving women.
The case has drawn comparisons to the 2020 murder of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén, who was killed at Fort Hood in Texas, sparking a broader conversation about the safety of military personnel and the need for greater accountability in military institutions.
Federal and state task forces have been established to investigate cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, a response to the growing concern that these cases are not always given the attention they deserve.
Advocates have called for further investigation and action to address the systemic issues surrounding these disappearances, urging law enforcement agencies to dedicate more resources to solving cases involving Indigenous victims.
The Legal Process and Ongoing Investigation
Chappelle’s legal representation is being handled by the federal defender’s office, though details about his defense have not been disclosed.
Legal experts note that it is uncommon for military prosecutors to handle homicide cases due to their rarity, which is why the US Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case instead. This is seen as a positive step in ensuring that the case is handled by experienced professionals capable of managing complex criminal cases.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sangrait’s death, and authorities have urged anyone with further information to come forward.
Despite the arrest, many questions remain unanswered, including whether Chappelle knew Sangrait personally and what led to the tragic incident on the base.
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