Advocates protest outside Ellsworth base in Lakota woman’s homicide case

About a dozen community members gathered April 17 outside Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to call for accountability and transparency in the homicide of Sahela “Toka Win” Sangrait, according to reporting by ICT. Protesters stood in snowfall and freezing temperatures to demand answers in the case involving a Mnicoujou Lakota woman whose family continues to seek justice. 

ICT reports that federal prosecutors charged U.S. Airman Quinterius Chappelle with first-degree murder in the 2024 killing, alleging the crime occurred at his on-base residence. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Sangrait’s remains were found March 4, 2025, near Black Elk Peak in the Black Hills National Forest. Advocates said the protest aimed to push for communication from base officials, while the family’s attorney cited concerns about transparency and investigative gaps.