RAPID CITY, S.D. – A woman convicted of killing one man and critically injuring his brother has been sentenced to life in prison following a hearing in Rapid City.
Pam White Butterfly received a mandatory life sentence in the state penitentiary for the first-degree murder of 68-year-old Lenart Brown Eyes. She was also sentenced to serve an additional 25 years for attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of Lenart’s brother, 66-year-old Gerard Brown Eyes.
A Pennington County jury convicted White Butterfly of the charges in December. The sentencing follows the violent incident on Feb. 23, 2025, at a residence on East New York Street.
During the sentencing hearing, Gerard Brown Eyes addressed the court regarding the lasting trauma inflicted upon his family. He stated that the shooting forever changed their lives and told the court that White Butterfly’s actions were not the “Lakota Way.”
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that White Butterfly shot Lenart Brown Eyes twice inside his home, including a fatal wound to a major artery in his arm. Gerard Brown Eyes was also shot twice, sustaining a gunshot wound to the head, but survived the attack.
Despite suffering fatal injuries, Lenart Brown Eyes managed to call 911 to identify the shooter. He told dispatchers that White Butterfly had shot both him and his brother, stating, “we’re dying.”
State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel argued for the severity of the sentence, noting the impact on the local area.
“This was a deliberate act of violence that permanently altered a family and an entire community,” Roetzel said.
The case was prosecuted by State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel, Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Olivia Siglin and Legal Extern Thomas Potts.
