A Rapid City man has pled guilty to killing his older sister while they were delivering food for an online service in September 2022,
29-year old Nicklaus Houchin will be sentenced March 25th on a single count of 1st-degree manslaughter in the death of 31-year old Danielle Houchin. He could be sentenced to as much as life in prison.
In submitting Houchin’s plea on Monday, his attorney recounted what happened on September 22, 2022. He said the victim, her mother, and several others, were riding and drinking with Houchin as he was making deliveries.
When they stopped at a restaurant to pick up the next order, the others went in while the Houchin family members remained in the car.
Houchin said his sister and mother then got into an altercation and when he tried to break up the fight, he ended up choking his sister and rendering her unresponsive.
When the others returned to the car, they drove to a parking lot, called 911, and began CPR. They were still at it when police and emergency medical personnel arrived. They took over, but Danielle Houchin died on the way to the hospital.
Family members said the pair had been “inseparable” until Danielle’s death, and both family and prosecutors said Nicklaus Houchin was drunk at the time. He has an extensive history of alcohol problems, including 4 DUI convictions.