Two men, including one whose life sentence was commuted by former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, have been charged in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a rural area five days after she went missing in March.
Details of the Case
McKenna Wendel was reported missing on March 13 and was last seen alive in her hometown of Sioux Falls early on March 14. Her body was found outside Brookings, about an hour's drive north of Sioux Falls, on March 19.
Wendel's uncle, Mark Milk, 51, also of Sioux Falls, now faces five counts related to her death. Milk had served nearly three decades of a life sentence for manslaughter when Noem commuted his sentence in 2023.
According to her obituary, Wendel was raised by her grandparents, loved animals, and had a vibrant personality and a zest for life. She and her grandparents were members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and frequently attended powwows. Her obituary noted, She loved the singing and the beautiful sounds of the drums.
Charges Filed
Authorities announced the charges during a news conference in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, but kept many details confidential to protect their investigation. Milk faces five counts, including possession with intent to deliver cocaine that caused Wendel's death. He is also charged with transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to court documents.
Jon Rogness, 38, of Brookings, faces conspiracy and accessory charges for allegedly attempting to cover up the crimes. The counts against the men are the most serious, readily provable charges, and all originated in Iowa, said Leif Olson, U.S. attorney for northern Iowa, at the news conference.
FBI special agent Gene Kowel said, This is a horrific case. There are no cases that we investigate that are more heart-wrenching and more tragic than the ones that involve children or the death of a child. The men had no attorneys listed in court records to comment on their behalf.
Background on Milk's Commutation
In February 2023, Noem commuted Milk's life sentence for a manslaughter conviction in an October 1993 stabbing death. Milk, then 19, had been involved in several altercations in the city of Winner that resulted in the death of Shawn Peneaux, according to records.
Milk was in jail on unrelated allegations of driving under the influence and eluding police when Wendel's body was found. His name emerged in public discussion about the case from the start, but prosecutors did not formally link him to Wendel's death until filing charges on Wednesday, after completing their investigation in late May.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley stated in a late March news conference that the decision to commute Milk's life sentence was strictly Noem's. He noted, It is fairly often that you see law enforcement oppose commutations, without commenting further on Noem's decision. The commutation documents were sealed, and even he had not seen them, he added.
Noem's Response
The Associated Press left a message for Noem on Thursday seeking comment through NovaRed Mining, a Canadian firm she recently joined in a strategic advisory role. Noem, a Republican, served as South Dakota's lone congressperson from 2011 to 2019 and as governor from 2019 to 2025. She was later appointed Homeland Security secretary before being fired in March by President Donald Trump amid criticism of her handling of the administration's immigration crackdown and disaster response.
Trump praised Noem's leadership and appointed her as special envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a new organization of Western Hemisphere nations focused on supporting democracy and security in the region.
