Rushmore State News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of a Rapid City man, Luke Standing Bear, for voluntary manslaughter. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler on June 18, 2025.

Standing Bear, aged 19, received an eight-year federal prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The case against Standing Bear began with his indictment by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He entered a guilty plea on March 21, 2025.

The incident occurred on July 6, 2024, in the Eastridge community of Pine Ridge. Standing Bear attempted to engage in a fight with several men from his neighborhood. After being told to go home by one of these men, who later became the victim, Standing Bear armed himself with a knife and returned to confront him again. Despite being disarmed initially by bystanders, he retrieved another knife from his house and confronted the victim once more on the street where he stabbed him in the ribs following an insult.

The stabbing resulted in severe injuries as it pierced several internal organs and the victim's aorta. Although the victim survived transportation to Rapid City hospital via flight, he succumbed during surgery.

This prosecution was handled at the federal level under the Major Crimes Act due to its occurrence in Indian country requiring such cases be tried federally rather than at state level.

The investigation involved efforts from both the FBI and Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety with Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox leading prosecution efforts.

Following sentencing, Standing Bear was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals Service immediately.