Sioux Falls man charged with murder in weekend triple homicide (2024)

SIOUX FALLS — A Sioux Falls man is facing multiple counts of first-degree murder after a weekend shooting on the city’s southwest end left three people dead and two others injured.

Justin Rackley, 30, of Sioux Falls was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, each a Class A felony punishable by life in prison or death.

The charges stem from approximately 2:45 a.m. Saturday, June 8, when police in Sioux Falls responded to a residence near the intersection of West 58th Street and Drexel Drive for a report of a disturbance.

Lt. Aaron Nyberg, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, said roughly a dozen people were gathered for a bonfire when Rackley shot as many as five people.

Nyberg said officers located 43-year-old Daniel Kemnitz, 43-year-old Kelly Reeves and 34-year-old Michael Thompson dead with apparent gunshot wounds. Two other survivors were taken to a Sioux Falls hospital.

Authorities say it’s unclear what led up to the shooting, noting that Rackley and the others were “recent acquaintances.” Nyberg said drugs are not believed to have been involved, though alcohol was consumed at the party.

Detectives are reviewing video footage captured from the area as part of the ongoing investigation.

“Our condolences go to the families who lost loved ones and obviously loss of life is senseless,” said Sioux Falls police chief Jon Thum. “We’re confident in our abilities to investigate this case to its fullest and work with our partners, with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to make sure that we put a comprehensive picture together.”

Rackley is currently being held at the Minnehaha County Jail on a $3 million bond. In a Monday morning court appearance, Rackley pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Rackley has one previous criminal conviction for simple assault stemming from an incident in August 2020.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Rackley faces a minimum sentence of life in prison, though prosecutors could elect to seek the death penalty.

The victims of Saturday’s triple homicide are the latest in a string of various fatal shootings across southeastern South Dakota.

On Memorial Day, law enforcement in Turner County responded to a shooting call in Centerville and found three people shot dead in a home along Main Street. After hearing an allegation that his wife may have been sexually assaulted, court documents accuse former sheriff’s deputy Jay Ostrem of crossing the street and killing 21-year-old Zach Frankus, 26-year-old Paul Frankus and 35-year-old Timothy Richmond.

Days later on June 4, police in Tea confirmed one person was shot dead on the city’s north side. The Tea Police Department said their investigation into the fatal shooting led to the arrest of Timothy Overton on multiple counts of domestic assault stemming from an incident on May 1.

The law enforcement agency did not indicate whether Overton is also a suspect in the homicide, and no charges have been filed against him related to the shooting death.

The last time the Sioux Falls Police Department investigated a homicide involving three or more victims was 1973, Nyberg said, when authorities located a family of four dead in their home in an apparent murder-suicide.

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.