Sioux Falls Sees a Surge in Homicides in 2024

Sioux Falls has a statistic this year that unfortunately it won't be proud of when 2024 comes to a close.

It's a rise in homicides.

The shooting that took place over the weekend in Sioux Falls is the 8th homicide so far in 2024, and the 7th since the beginning of June.

Our news gathering partner, Dakota News Now is reporting that Dylan Tyler Farmer, age 30, of Sioux Falls is now facing First and Second Degree Murder charges after shooting Casey Shawn Edward Shaffer, age 30, of Sioux Falls in the face on Saturday, (September 7).

According to Dakota News Now, the incident happened around 3:41 AM inside an apartment complex located at 808 West Bailey Street in Sioux Falls.

The report states that a woman placed a call to police to have an individual removed from her apartment. The woman told authorities that Shaffer had been staying in the apartment for a couple of days and during that time had allegedly sexually assaulted her 6-year-old son. A claim Shaffer had denied in a text message.

Once officers arrived, they were met outside by the mother of the child who placed the call. She told authorities that she had just returned from Avera’s Emergency Room on Cliff Avenue.

Dakota News Now reports that when police went to go inside the apartment, they found the door partially open and Shaffer on the living room floor dead from a series of small caliber handgun wounds. Several shell casings were also found in the living room and kitchen, but there was no handgun on the premises.

During the investigation, Farmer's credit card was found inside the apartment.

Dakota News Now reports, the day prior to the body being found, police had contact with Farmer during a call for service. During that interaction, Farmer attempted to confess to a homicide, telling police that he had shot a man. Stating, “I shot him in the face because he touched a boy” and “I want to go to jail.”

During the (September 6) interaction with police, Farmer was unable to tell authorities the name of the victim or where the apparent shooting took place.

Police had received no reports of a body at that time, and therefore were unable to arrest Farmer based on his confession.

On his way to being transported to the Bishop Dudley House, Farmer was able to tell police the victim's name was "Casey."

Police told Dakota News Now, that everyone involved in this case knew each other.

Phone records also show that the last text message between the mother and Shaffer was sent around 5:18 PM on September 6th. Several phone calls between the mother and Farmer took place between 5:20 PM and 7:20 PM.

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum told Dakota News Now, that the most recent homicide is not tied to any of the other previous homicides committed in Sioux Falls so far this year.

Each one of the 8 homicides committed in 2024 is uniquely different, according to Thum.

Farmer's first court appearance regarding the case took place on Monday.

Source: Dakota News Now