UPDATE:  Late Wednesday afternoon, the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office released the name of the victim who was found on Tuesday near Renner.

He was identified as 40-year old Lakendrick J. Thornton of Sioux Falls and he died of a single gunshot wound. The investigation of the case continues, however Captain Jason Gearman of the Sheriff's Office indicated that drugs were involved and there are several leads in the case and the potential of multiple suspects.

It is also likely that the body was left at the scene. Police are investigating the possibility of a second site where a crime was committed.

If the public has any information concerning Thornton's activities in the days leading up to his death, they are asked to submit those details to the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office at 605-367-7000 or CrimeStoppers.


An adult male was found in a ditch near Renner Tuesday morning and police are suspecting foul play in the incident and treating the location as a crime scene.

Multiple law enforcement entities including the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police, and South Dakota Highway Patrol were on hand to process the area where the body was found by a citizen about a quarter-mile north of the intersection of 258th Street and Ditch Road.

Sheriff Mike Milstead says at this point every clue is important in providing answers in this case.

“We don’t know if this is where the incident occurred or if it occurred elsewhere. Because it’s a remote site, we’re looking at tracks on the road, there was rain early this morning, and all those things have to be taken into consideration.”

Milstead also admitted that the Minnehaha County coroner was brought directly to the scene to assist in the investigation and an autopsy will be conducted soon that should help answer some pertinent questions.

“Could he have been pulled down there, pushed down there? Did the crime occur right there or did somebody bring him here from another location?”

It is believed that the victim had died within the last 24 hours. The area along Ditch Road where the body was found was closed for hours in order to fully process the crime scene.

The man’s name will be withheld pending notification of relatives.

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