SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – -A woman who pled guilty in the kidnapping and stabbing of a 17-year-old was sentenced Tuesday.
The Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office says 31-year-old Winter Merrill pled guilty to aiding and abetting aggravated assault. A judge handed down a 25-year sentence, suspending five of those years, for her role in the attack.
The assault happened in May 2022 when Merrill and her co-defendant, 21-year-old Dominic Eastman, persuaded a teen to get into their vehicle.
The two slashed the teen’s throat along with inflicting other injuries. The victim managed to escape and was able to flag down a passerby vehicle.
Major Crimes Unit Prosecutor Jason Thomas described the case as one of the most horrific the State has encountered. “The photos of the victim’s injuries remain some of the most gruesome we have seen,” Thomas said.
Eastman was sentenced in February to 20 years in prison.
