Accomplice Arrested In Double Homicide Investigation, Frias Still At Large

Sioux Falls, SD

A woman arrested in Minnesota is the latest person in custody with a connection to a double homicide in Sioux Falls.

According to police in Sioux Falls, a person who spotted Maria LeClaire in Red Wing, Minnesota, called local authorities. Prairie Island Tribal Police arrested her without incident and placed her into custody at Goodhue County Jail to await extradition back to South Dakota. She is wanted for first-degree robbery.

Court papers detail that LeClaire was in a relationship with Cory Zephier, one of the two men killed outside his apartment in north Sioux Falls on Friday, January 5. Zephier and LeClaire were together with Manuel Frias the night before the shootings.

Frias allegedly arranged a drug deal with Samuel Crockett at the apartment on West Rice Street near North Summit Avenue. But according to a court affidavit, Frias planned to rob Crockett for about $1,000 cash.

When Crockett and Frias met outside the apartment, Zephier allegedly came out from hiding and pointed a gun to Crockett's head. Crockett then allegedly shot Zephier, and Frias shot Crockett.

LeClaire was sleeping inside the apartment building when Frias woke her up, packed a bag and took her to another location. Since then, Frias has been at large and wanted for murder.

Frias is considered to be armed and dangerous. If you have any information, call CrimeStoppers at 877-367-7007, or use the P3 Tips app on your iOS or Android device.

The botched drug robbery on January 5 has led to at least six other arrests. In most cases, the suspects were wanted on previous charges but were arrested during the search for Frias.

Local authorities have been in two standoffs in the past week. On Tuesday night, 26-year-old Amy Crandall, 30-year-old John Milk, and 30-year-old Dakota Wohlers were arrested near East 6th Street and Sycamore Avenue.

The next day, four people were arrested at a townhome near 57th Street and Dubuque Avenue: 36-year-old Justin Anderson, 36-year-old Teresa AnnaMarie Boyum, 32-year-old Sarah Aline Breyfogle and 39-year-old Alfred Siani.