(Pennington County, SD) — A man is being convicted in a case that’s more than 10-years-old. Fifty-five-year-old Richard Schmitz took an Alford plea yesterday to a reduced charge of second-degree manslaughter. Schmitz was originally charged with second-degree murder for the death of Meshell Will in 2021. Will went missing in August of 2013, and her body was found a week later near the Pig Tail Bridge near Iron Mountain Road. According to the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office, a recent significant development led to the man’s conviction in the long-pursued case. Schmitz’s sentencing hearing is set for March 8th.
