RAPID CITY, S.D. – Michael John Glen Flores Jr., 36, has been sentenced to 65 years in a South Dakota prison for a fatal stabbing that occurred in June 2024 near the Cornerstone Rescue Mission. Flores, an inmate at the Pennington County Jail, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to first-degree manslaughter in the death of Douglas Cole. The plea agreement spares Cole’s family a trial and guarantees Flores will be incarcerated for decades, with no possibility of parole.
The incident took place in the early hours of June 20, 2024, when police responded to a call after staff at the mission found Cole, 59, unresponsive on the sidewalk. Cole, who was a vulnerable member of the Rapid City community, had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, side, and back. A trail of blood led from the scene to nearby train tracks, where the attack began. Despite law enforcement’s efforts, Cole was pronounced dead at the scene.
Flores was booked into the Pennington County Jail on June 20, 2024, at 1:44 p.m. on an original charge of first-degree murder. According to court records, he was also charged with assault by an adult confined in jail with bodily fluids. The defendant also had parole violations for two counts of possession of a controlled substance and simple assault against a law enforcement officer.
Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Jason Thomas, who prosecuted the case, said that Flores proved to be a danger to others while awaiting trial. In November 2024, Flores attempted to spray urine into another inmate’s cell and then attacked a Correctional Officer, trying to put him in a chokehold before he was subdued.
First-degree manslaughter is a class C felony in South Dakota, punishable by a life sentence and a fine of up to $50,000. Under the direction of State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel, the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecutes about 8,000 misdemeanor and felony cases annually, dedicating its efforts to crime prevention and public safety in the Black Hills area.