RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - Charges have been upgraded for the defendants accused in a Christmas Eve slaying in Rapid City.
Court documents say 31-year-old Vernall Marshall was shot twice in the back on Dec. 24, 2020 after the defendants set up a fake drug buy so they could attack Marshall for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a teen related to one of the four accused in the crime.
The alleged shooter, Elias Richard, was originally charged with second-degree murder and is now charged with first-degree murder.
Kaleb Lukkes, Clint Marshall, who is not related to the victim, and Masheka Barnett were originally charged with aiding and abetting first-degree robbery.
Lukkes and Clint Marshall are now charged with aiding and abetting the murder, the Rapid City Journal reported.
Richard and Lukkes are both 21-year-olds from Rapid City while Clint is a 20-year-old from Sioux Falls. If convicted, they will face the death penalty or life in prison without the chance of parole.
Barnett, a 42-year-old Rapid City woman, is now charged with aiding and aggravated assault and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
All of the robbery-related charges have been dismissed.
The four defendants, who are all in jail, are scheduled to be arraigned on their new charges on May 17. It was not clear if each had an attorney who could speak on their behalf.
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