By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-22 06:23:12 | Updated at 2026-06-22 08:53:30
3 hours ago
Kristi Noem has come under fire for commuting the life sentence of a man convicted of manslaughter after he allegedly killed a teen girl.
Mark Milk, 51, has been charged in connection to the death of 14-year-old McKenna Wendel after Noem, 54, commuted the South Dakota man's 1994 life sentence.
Milk faces felony charges after he allegedly transported a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and supplied cocaine that led to the teen's death.
Wendel was reported missing on March 15 by her grandparents, Ralph and Rose Wendel, two days after she had last been seen, Sioux Falls police said.
Her body was discovered near Brookings in South Dakota on March 19, as prosecutors alleged that the girl died from a drug overdose on or around March 14, ABC News reported.
'This is a horrific case,' Gene Kowel, the special agent in charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office which covers Iowa, said on Thursday.
'There are no cases that we investigate that are more heart-wrenching, more tragic than ones that involve children or the death of a child.'
Milk was also charged for allegedly conspiring with another man, 38-year-old Jon Rogness, to destroy evidence, according to ABC.
Mark Milk, 51, has been charged in connection to the death of 14-year-old McKenna Wendel after Noem, 54, commuted the South Dakota man's 1994 life sentence
Wendel was reported missing before her body was found near Brookings in South Dakota on March 19, as prosecutors alleged she died from a drug overdose on or around March 14
Milk sought commutation after spending nearly two decades behind bars, which Noem then approved in February of 2023 to 240 years, making him eligible for parole
According to the indictment obtained by the outlet, Rogness faces accusations that he acted as an accessory to help Milk avoid prosecution.
Milk was initially arrested on unrelated charges of driving while intoxicated, police said.
The case is being prosecuted in Iowa, though it remains unclear where the alleged acts took place.
'The Department of Justice policy is to pursue the most serious, readily provable charges, and the charges that are alleged in the indictment all occurred within the Northern District of Iowa,' Iowa US Attorney Leif Olson said on Thursday.
'The charge itself is not meant to imply which of those took place here. That's something that will be proven at trial.'
Milk, who was found to be a family member of Wendel's, had previously been sentenced to life for fatally stabbing a man during a fight before the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles later recommended clemency, the outlet reported.
According to USA Today, Milk claimed self-defense during his trial, but the court at the time said the killing was 'one of the most vicious, brutal homicides it had ever seen,' documents obtained by the outlet showed.
He was said to have kicked the victim 'until his head was soft,' stabbed him in the chest and face and cut off his right ear, the outlet reported.
Milk was also charged for allegedly conspiring with another man, 38-year-old Jon Rogness, to destroy evidence
Milk, who was found to be a family member of Wendel's, had previously been sentenced to life for fatally stabbing a man during a fight before the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles later recommended clemency
Noem's approval was based on a positive recommendation by the states parole board, which said they were 'swayed by his work ethic and ascension to a trainer’s post' while he was working for Metal Craft Industries while serving his time
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Milk sought commutation after spending nearly two decades behind bars, which Noem then approved in February of 2023 to 240 years, making him eligible for parole, documents revealed.
Noem's approval was based on a positive recommendation by the states parole board, which said they were 'swayed by his work ethic and ascension to a trainer’s post' while he was working for Metal Craft Industries while serving his time.
Wendel was reportedly listed as a guest at Milk's parole hearing in June 2024, according to the outlet.
'I wasn't attorney general at the time that this commutation process went, but I went through the process,' South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said of the commuted sentence.
'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.'
Jackley added that the commutation file is sealed.
According to a Wendel's obituary, the teen had a 'vibrant personality and a zest for life.' She was said to have loved animals and spending time outdoors; climbing trees, playing in the park and riding her bike.
McKenna's mother, Marisa Wendel, said that her family is 'grateful and appreciative of all the department’s work and care in this unreal ordeal'
The teen, who was said to have ad a 'vibrant personality and a zest for life,' played volleyball and basketball and made friends easily
'She could often be found digging in the dirt looking for critters or catching tadpoles to bring home as pets,' the tribute page said.
'McKenna and her grandparents often attended Pow-wows together. She loved the singing and the beautiful sounds of the drums...McKenna was a devoted big sister, and her siblings cherished every moment spent with her.'
The teen played volleyball and basketball, and made friends easily, according to the page.
'McKenna's friends adored her quick wit, her encouraging words, and her ability to light up even the quietest of rooms.
'McKenna's sweet, gentle nature and her fun sense of humor will be cherished and greatly missed. She was the center around which her grandparents' lives revolved. She touched the hearts and lives of all who knew her.'
'Everytime I saw her, she was smiling, her laugh was infectious, jokes that could cheer anyone up. She was also protective of her friends, and family, she deserves the best that we can give her,' a GoFundMe page for the teen's family said.
'I feel nothing but grief and sorrow. I still can’t accept the fact that the girl who taught me how to do my hair, showed me a new genre of music, helped me find my love for nature, taught me how to skate board and how to make an instagram post is gone,' a friend wrote on Facebook.
'Mckenna was who I called when i was down and who she called when something popped into her mind. Thinking about high school is hurting me knowing how we always talked about going to St Joesph together and going to the military and me taking one for the team and having a kid and her being the best auntie.
'But it hurts knowing those dreams will never be fulfilled and will stay dreams and aspirations between.'
McKenna's mother, Marisa Wendel, said that her family is 'grateful and appreciative of all the department’s work and care in this unreal ordeal,' the Argus Leader reported.
'The Wendels are broken.'
The Daily Mail reached out to Kristi Noem, the FBI, Iowa US Attorney Leif Olson and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley for comment.
