When a 38-year-old waitress vanished on a weekend trip to Mount Rushmore in August 2013, red flags went up right away for her friends and family. But the road to justice for her case would take many winding turns, until finally it ended with a long-awaited conviction.
Help Find Meshells Murderer Facebook Page
National Domestic Violence Hotline Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Meshell Will (Photo Source) Help Find Meshells Murderer Facebook Page
Meshell Will (Photo Source) Help Find Meshells Murderer Facebook Page
Meshell Will Reward Poster (Photo Source) Help Find Meshells Murderer Facebook Page
Richard Melvin Schmitz (Photo Source) Pennington County Sheriff’s Office
A pigtail bridge in Black Hills National Forest (Photo Source) HMDB.org
Black Hills National Forest Image (Photo Source) Black Hills and Badlands, SD
Black Hills National Forest Map (Source) Google Maps
Episode Source Material
- Rapid City Journal: Body found in hills identified. By Staff. Published September 12, 2013 Accessed via Newspapers.com
- The Black Hills Pioneer: Police ID body found on Iron Mountain Road. By Staff. Published September 12, 2013. Accessed via Newspapers.com
- Rapid City Journal: “Granny” on mission to solve friend’s death. By Tiffany Tan Accessed via Newspapers.com (1)
- Rapid City Journal: “Granny” on mission to solve friend’s death. By Tiffany Tan Accessed via Newspapers.com (2)
- Argus-Leader: Four years later, authorities still searching for answers in woman’s death. By Associated Press Accessed via Newspapers.com
- Argus-Leader: South Dakota woman seeks answers in friend’s death. By Associated Press Accessed via Newspapers.com
- My Black Hills Country: Five years later, death of Meshell Will still unsolved. By Staff Accessed via web
- Law&Crime: “We Never Gave Up”: South Dakota Man Charged in Previously Unsolved 2013 Murder of 38-Year-Old Woman. By Matt Naham Accessed via web
- KOTA Territory: Homicide in The Hills, man arrested after 8 years of searching for answers. By Jeffrey Lindblom Accessed via web
- KOTA Territory: Hill City man arrested in 8 year old homicide case. By KOTA Staff.
- Rapid City Journal: Murder suspect has history of violence. By Journal Staff Accessed via Newspapers.com (1)
- Rapid City Journal: Murder suspect has history of violence. By Journal Staff Accessed via Newspapers.com (2)
- Argus-Leader: Man arrested for 2013 death of woman in Pennington County. By Alfonzo Galvan Accessed via Newspapers.com
- WeAreGreenBay.com: Man accused of 2013 death of woman originally from Wisconsin. By The Associated Press Accessed via web
- Front Page Detectives: South Dakota man arrested in 2013 cold-case murder of badly decomposed body found along road. By Nate Homan Accessed via web
- KOTA Territory: Richard Schmitz faces murder charge. By Jack Caudill Accessed via web
- Rapid City Journal: Bond set at $1M for murder suspect. By Shandhara Bonnet Accessed via Newspapers.com
- Hill City Prevailer News: Arrest made for Meshell Will murder. By Josh Ferguson.
- Keloland Media Group: Suspect accused in cold case admitted to mentally abusing victim. By Anna Peters.
- KBHB Radio: Suspect Accused in Cold Case Admitted to Abusing Victim. By Francie Ganje.
- KOTA Territory: Man accused of a murder committed more than a decade ago has pre-trial motions hearing. By Adrian Carbajal.
- KOTA Territory: Unexpected plea change in 10 year old murder case. By Humberto Giles-Sanchez.
- Rapid City Journal: Boyfriend takes plea deal in death of Custer woman. By Shalom Baer Gee Accessed via Newspapers.com
- FOX News: South Dakota man takes plea deal in 2013 death of girlfriend, avoiding murder charge. By Associated Press.
- NBC News: South Dakota man charged in 2013 death of girlfriend takes plea offer, avoiding murder charge. By the Associated Press.
- KOTA Territory: Man sentenced in decade old manslaughter case. By Madison Newman.
- APNews: South Dakota man sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter in 2013 death of girlfriend. By Staff.
- Rapid City Journal: Man gets 10 years for Custer woman’s death. By Shalom Baer Gee Accessed via Newspapers.com
- The Mighty 790 KFGO: South Dakota man sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter in 2013 death of girlfriend. By Associated Press.
- CBS News: South Dakota man sentenced to prison in 2013 killing of girlfriend found dead in Black Hills National Forest. By Staff.
- My Black Hills Country: Meshell Will finally receives justice. By Staff.
- Keloland Media Group: Black Hills cold case closed. By Tyler Louder.
- KOTA Territory: Justice delayed: Decade follow up after the murder of Meshell Will. By Zada Jones.
- KOTA Territory: Justice delayed: Decade follow up after the murder of Meshell Will.
- Seventh Judicial Circuit Court: State of South Dakota County of Pennington vs. Richard Melvin Schmitz. Case Filings. Obtained May 27, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- Pennington County Sheriff’s Office Case File. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- South Dakota Unified Judicial System Record Search Report for Richard Melvin Schmitz. Obtained via Paid Public Records Request. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- Seventh Judicial Circuit Court: State of South Dakota County of Pennington vs. Richard Melvin Schmitz. Defense Motion To Dismiss Pre Trial Delay. Filed February 16, 2023. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- Pennington County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Post.
- Help Find Meshells Murderer Facebook Page
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Third Degree Burglary Case Filings. 1992. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Petty Theft, Impersonation and Filing a False Report to Authorities Case Filings. 2001.Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Simple Assault and Domestic Violence. 2002. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Grand Theft and Habitual Criminal Act. 2005. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Custer County Disorderly Conduct Case. 2013.Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- State of South Dakota v. Richard Schmitz. Custer County Aggravated Assault and Sexual Contact Without Consent Case. Filed December 2017. Obtained June 9, 2025 via Pennington County Clerk of Courts. Hard copy only. No direct link.