Convicted killer charged in death of girl, 14, after Kristi Noem freed him from prison

Convicted killer who was freed on parole after then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem cut his life sentence short has now been charged in the death of his 14-year-old niece, federal prosecutors announced. 

Mark Milk – whose manslaughter conviction was commuted in 2023 after nearly 30 years in prison – was slapped with a raft of charges after McKenna Wendel died from a suspected cocaine overdose just one day after she was reported missing on March 13, according to the indictment obtained by ABC News.

The teen was found dead March 19 in a remote area near Bookings, about 60 miles north of her hometown of Sioux Falls.

“This is a horrific case,” FBI special agent Gene Kowel said during a Thursday press conference.

“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. Our hearts go out to the victim’s family in this case, to McKenna’s family.”

Milk was behind bars on an unrelated DUI charge when the girl’s body was found, though he was publicly flagged as a potential suspect during the months-long investigation.

The 51-year-old was hit with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine resulting in Wendel’s death, transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, and conspiring with another man to destroy evidence.

A second suspect, Jon Rogness, 38, was also hauled in and charged with conspiracy and accessory counts in the alleged cover-up attempt, prosecutors said.

Milk was handed a 240-year sentence in 1994 for fatally stabbing a man during a 1993 fight. Noem, who was governor of South Dakota at the time, commuted the prison term in 2023, making him eligible for parole.

The slain child was later listed among guests at his June 2024 parole hearing.

It was not immediately clear when Milk was set free from prison.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said the decision to grant Milk clemency was entirely Noem’s call.

“I wasn’t attorney general at that time that this commutation process went, but I went through the process,” he said during a news conference in late March, noting the case documents were sealed.

“Law enforcement provided the reports that indicate what had occurred back with the initial manslaughter, and then at that point, under the constitution, it’s a determination of the governor to make a commutation or parole decision.”

Noem has served as US special envoy to the Shield of the Americas since March after being pushed out of her old post as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

President Trump had unveiled the new coalition that same month.

With Post wires.