Rios arraigned for murder charges for 1975 killing of Aquash
- Details
- Parent Category: Aquash/Peltier/Ray
- Category: Annie Mae Pictou Aquash
- Published: 26 October 2009
- Hits: 8826
Rapid City, South Dakota (AP) 10-09
A Rapid City woman pleaded not guilty to murder charges filed in a 1975 shooting death on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Thelma Rios was arraigned Oct. 6 on one count of felony murder in relation to kidnapping and one count of premeditated murder in the death of Annie Mae Aquash.
The 64-year-old Rios and John Graham are accused in state court of taking part in the kidnapping and killing of Aquash. Prosecutors say Aquash was killed because she was a suspected government informant against the American Indian Movement.
A federal criminal case against the 54-year-old Graham is on hold pending a request for an appeals court rehearing.