Man receives 3 life sentences in South Dakota killings

CANTON, S.D. (AP) — A man accused in the killings of three people at a house party last year in South Dakota has received multiple life sentences in connection with the shooting deaths.

A jury had found Justin Cody Rackley guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault. On Friday, he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole, as well as 30 additional years, KELO-TV reported.

The June 2024 shooting in a Sioux Falls neighborhood left 43-year-old Daniel Carl Kemnitz, 43-year-old Kellie Elizabeth Reaves and 34-year-old Michael Andrew Thompson dead. Two other people were wounded.

Rackley had pleaded not guilty. The Associated Press left a phone message for his attorney.

Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up