RAPID CITY, S.D. — Authorities announced a breakthrough in a seven-year-old murder case on Friday.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office says 53-year-old Richard Melvin Schmitz has been arrested at his home near Hill City Friday morning. Authorities say Schmitz is being charged with second degree murder for the death of Meshell Will.
Will was last seen alive in Keystone on Aug. 24, 2013. Originally from Wisconsin, she had been in Custer for about six months.
A week later, a woman’s body was found badly decomposed off Iron Mountain Road, near mile marker 54 and the Pig Tail Bridge. The body was later identified as Will, who was 38.
Authorities say Schmitz has remained a person of interest in the death.
“After eight years of hard work, we’re pleased to finally arrest the person we believe is responsible for the crime. We never stopped conducting interviews, examining evidence and reviewing forensic material,” Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said in a statement.
