South Dakota

South Dakota beheading case to see trial Tuesday; suspect points finger elsewhere

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2024

South Dakota beheading case to see trial Tuesday; suspect points finger elsewhere

WATERTOWN, S.D. — A Watertown, South Dakota, man is set to stand trial this week in the 2020 death of 28-year-old Kendra Owen, despite his claim that another individual is ultimately responsible.

Jeremiah Peacemaker, 44, of Watertown, is charged in Codington County with first- and second-degree murder. His trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Feb. 20.

The charges stem from the evening hours of Sept. 2, 2020, when police in Watertown were called to an apartment in the 300 block of North Broadway Street to conduct a welfare check. Inside, they located Owen’s body, noting she appeared to have been dead for several days.

Though many details regarding the crime scene remain unclear — as a probable cause statement prepared by investigators sits under seal — Attorney General Marty Jackley confirmed to Sioux Falls Live this month that Owen’s body had been decapitated.

It took police less than 24 hours from the discovery of Owen’s body to arrest Peacemaker.

Investigators have

publicly acknowledged

that Peacemaker and Owen were “recent acquaintances,” but were not a couple. Court documents indicate Peacemaker admitted to being present in Owen’s apartment before her death.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement took DNA samples from both Peacemaker and Owen to be tested at the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory in Pierre, alongside multiple other pieces of evidence recovered from the scene.

Court documents include this list of items submitted to the South Dakota Forensics Lab for DNA and fingerprint testing in connection to the 2020 death of Watertown resident Kendra Owen.

Scanned image of court documents

According to court documents, lab results found the presence of blood on multiple items, including a towel taken from Peacemaker’s apartment. DNA analysis from the towel, however, did not match a sample taken from Owen’s body.

Two cigarette butts were also tested for DNA. One was found to have multiple DNA profiles — and could not be narrowed down to whom the DNA belonged — while the other was found to contain none of Peacemaker’s DNA.

Kendra Owen - Cig Butt.jpg — A cigarette butt recovered from Kendra Owen’s residence following her death in 2020.

One of the cigarette butts was compared to DNA of one of Owen’s former roommates, but court documents say it was not a match.

In Owen’s car, investigators located a pair of women’s panties “encrusted” in semen. Forensic analysis found that the semen did not match Peacemaker’s DNA profile.

Hundreds of pages of public documents reviewed by Sioux Falls Live do not make mention of whether any sort of weapon was recovered or whether it was tested for fingerprints or DNA.

An alleged lack of DNA evidence against Peacemaker has resulted in his attorney’s argument that a third party, whose identity is unclear, may be responsible for Owen’s death.

Court documents indicate the defense plans to introduce evidence that two of Owen’s former roommates could have committed the crime, making specific reference to the cigarette butts located by investigators.

Neither former roommate has been charged in connection with Owen’s death.

Tuesday’s trial is scheduled to last as long as March 8, unless a verdict is reached sooner. According to court records, more than 60 civilians, law enforcement officers and experts have been subpoenaed in the case.

If convicted of either first- or second-degree murder,

South Dakota law mandates

life in prison as a minimum punishment. Prosecutors have declined to pursue the death penalty.

Outside of the murder charge, Peacemaker is also facing three counts of simple assault across three separate criminal cases. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in a county jail.

A South Dakota native, Hunter joined Forum Communications as a reporter for the Mitchell (S.D.) Republic in June 2021 and now works as a digital reporter for Sioux Falls Live, with a primary focus on crime in Sioux Falls and government in Lincoln County.

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South Dakota

Suspicious package prompts brief evacuation in Keystone; bomb squad clears scene

Published

5 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Suspicious package prompts brief evacuation in Keystone; bomb squad clears scene

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A suspicious package prompted a precautionary evacuation in Keystone Friday evening before authorities determined the scene was safe.

According to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 7:30 p.m. July 3 to a report of a suspicious package in the parking lot of a business in Keystone.

Based on information available at the scene, deputies evacuated the immediate area as a precaution while the package was investigated.

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation Bomb Squad responded and safely evaluated the package. After technicians determined there was no threat, the area was reopened.

The sheriff’s office thanked those who were evacuated for their patience and cooperation during the incident.

Responding agencies included the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and Pennington County Search and Rescue.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for July 3, 2026

Published

15 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing

05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing

07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South Dakota

Trump at Mount Rushmore: Speech time, how to watch live

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

Trump at Mount Rushmore: Speech time, how to watch live

President Donald Trump will kick off Independence Day weekend with a speech at Mount Rushmore beneath busts of four of his predecessors.

As part of a day of festivities tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary, the president will address visitors to the South Dakota landmark in a keynote address on Friday, July 3. at approximately 8:30 p.m. MT/10:30 p.m. ET according to the schedule released by the White House.

After the president’s remarks, the night will end with a massive fireworks display. It will be Mount Rushmore’s first time hosting a July 3 fireworks display since 2020, which Trump also attended during his first term in office.

Earlier in the day, there will be a slew of activities and programming on site for visitors before the evening festivities. The National Park Service and the state are coordinating the celebration, and a ticket lottery to attend has already closed.

Here’s what to know about the timing of the Mount Rushmore celebrations and how to tune in.

What will be at the Mount Rushmore July 3 event?

The event on July Fourth eve will feature myriad exhibits, reenactors and interactive experiences throughout the day, according to Freedom 250, the group working with Trump’s administration to coordinate the weekend’s events.

At night, it will transition into a tribute to the Armed Forces, including military bands, aviation flyovers and precision drill demonstrations, the group said.

After, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will take the stage to introduce Trump.

Following the president’s remarks, the event will conclude with the fireworks show.

What time is Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore? See schedule

Trump is expected to deliver his Mount Rushmore address at 8:30 p.m. MT (10:30 p.m. ET), according to the White House, though organizers have not yet released a detailed event schedule.

However, the day’s programming is set to run from 4-10 p.m. local time, according to the National Park Service.

The fireworks, which will close out the event, are expected to begin around 9:30 p.m. local time, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network.