RAPID CITY, S.D. – A South Dakota man was sentenced after pleading guilty to a shooting death.
Jerel Running Bear, 34, received sentences of 327 months for second-degree murder and 120 months for illegal discharge of a firearm to run consecutively. In total, Running Bear will spend 37 years and three months in prison, with five years of supervised release.
According to Running Bear’s factual basis statement and testimony at the sentencing hearing, Running Bear, Valentine and another woman were loitering in a car on the Pine Ridge Reservation while Valentine attempted to contact a drug dealer via Facebook Messenger. The trio were in search of fentanyl and the dealer wasn’t responding.
Running Bear said he had been on a long-term meth binge at the time. In court, he claimed he had been awake for more than a month and preferred to inject meth into his bloodstream. While waiting for a response, Valentine reportedly made a comment that angered Running Bear. At this point, Running Bear reportedly exited his car, opened the trunk, retrieved a stolen hunting rifle, and shot Valentine in the chest. The shot proved to be fatal, and the other female passenger fled, eventually reporting the crime to tribal police.
After the shooting, Running Bear reportedly picked up his then-girlfriend with Valentine’s body still in the backseat. The couple went to a drive-thru Mexican restaurant and bought burritos. Afterward, Running Bear and his girlfriend reportedly dumped Valentine’s body along the side of a road, removing her shirt and bra as they worried their fingerprints might be found.
Later in the night, law enforcement officers spotted Running Bear’s vehicle and attempted to pull him over. Running Bear then reportedly led officers on a high-speed chase into Nebraska, where he was ultimately caught.
Members of Valentine’s family gave emotional testimonies at the sentencing hearing. Jean Merrival, Valentine’s grandmother, teared up while speaking about her granddaughter. Running Bear yawned while Merrival spoke, prompting defense attorney Jenn Albertson to nudge him and say “stop it.” Monique Merrival, Valentine’s mother, said, “I wish I could trade places with [Valentine].”
As Running Bear spoke on his own behalf, he largely blamed his meth addiction for his actions. At one point, Jean Merrival interrupted him, saying “I think you should get life” and exited the courtroom.
The presiding judge explained the factors he was considering prior to sentencing. He noted Running Bear hadn’t had a particularly bad upbringing – with Running Bear’s father holding a stable job at an electric company and Running Bear’s parents remaining married through his childhood.
