2 Huron teens sentenced to 25 years for murder
Dec 20, 2024
SIOUX FALLS SD (KELO) -- The two teens accused in the shooting death of a Huron woman are headed to prison.
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Rhianna Caban and Michael Lee, both 15-years-old at the time of the killing, were sentenced to 25 years, though Lee's judgment was yet to be signed as of Friday morning.
Nichole Klich, 41, was shot and killed back in May. According to Klich's obituary, Caban was her daughter. Both teens pleaded guilty to one count of 1st degree murder in October.
On the day of the shooting, law enforcement had requested residents of the Colonial Apartments to evacuate for several hours.
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KELOLAND News spoke with a friend of Klich back in May, who described her as a funny, honest person, and a dedicated parent.
“The investigation revealed the coordination and planning by the two juveniles to carry out this heinous murder. The prosecution and its outcome strived to obtain justice and closure for the victim’s family moving forward," wrote Brookings County State's Attorney Dan Nelson in an email announcing the sentencing.
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The case had been moved from Beadle County to Brookings County earlier in the year due to a potential conflict of interest for the then newly appointed Beadle County State's Attorney.
In June, Nelson confirmed that the two teens, later identified as Caban and Lee, knew each other, but he would not comment on any relationship between the teens and Klich at the time.
KELOLAND has reached out to Nelson seeking additional information following the sentencing announcement.
According to the sentencing document, Caban pleaded guilty to first degree murder, and despite her age, will serve her sentence in the South Dakota Women's Prison in Pierre.
The State's Attorney noted that Lee received the exact same sentence as Caban.