U.S. Airman Charged in Murder of Missing Native American Woman on South Dakota Base

Quinterius Chappelle, 24, faces federal charges after the body of Sahela Sangrait, missing since August 2024, was found earlier this month.

Sahela Sangrait, 21, was reported missing on August 10, 2024, and her body was found on March 4, 2025, near the Pennington-Custer County line in South Dakota.
Authorities allege that Sangrait was murdered on Ellsworth Air Force BaseChappelle, an active-duty airman, was stationed.
The investigation involved collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Chappelle, 24, has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bond at the Pennington County Jail.
The relationship between Chappelle and Sangrait, as well as the motive for the crime, has not yet been disclosed by authorities.