FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, August 17, 2022                                                                  CONTACT: Tony Mangan, 605-773-6196

PIERRE, S.D. - Attorney General Mark Vargo and Jerauld County States Attorney Dedrich Koch announce that Mitch LeRoy Caffee, Wessington Springs, 39, pled guilty to one count of first degree manslaughter, a Class C felony, and one count of Aggravated Assault, a Class 3 Felony and was sentenced today to life in the state penitentiary on the first degree manslaughter conviction and 15 years in the state penitentiary on the aggravated assault conviction, with the sentence to run concurrent.

“Mitch Caffee’s actions resulted in the tragic death of a well-respected member of the community.  Lorraine Redman will be missed by not only her family, but to all who knew her,” said Koch. “The hope is this sentence will bring some closure to the family in this very difficult case.” 

“Life sentences are reserved for the most heinous of crimes, Judge Pardy recognized that what Caffee did on October 24, 2021, fit that category of crime and pronounced what we believe an appropriate sentence,” said Deputy Attorney General Brent Kempema.

Charges stem from an incident in a Wessington Springs residence that resulted in Caffee shooting and killing Lorraine Redman and assaulting Kathren Caffee.

“I’m extremely proud of the teamwork involved from beginning to end in both the investigation and prosecution of this horrific crime,” said Vargo. “My hat’s off to all involved.

This case was investigated by Jerauld County Sheriff’s Office, Huron Police Department, the Highway Patrol and the Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by the Jerauld County States Attorney Dedrich R. Koch and the Deputy Attorney General Brent Kempema from the SD Attorney General’s Office.

                                                                    -30-