Attorney General Jackley Announces Indictments In Death of State Prison Inmate Travis Long Fox

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that two people, one a prison employee and an inmate, have been indicted on nine combined felony charges in connection with the Nov. 7, 2025, drug overdose death of State Penitentiary inmate Travis Long Fox, who was 33.

Natalie Bernice Krause, 25, of Tea, who worked as medical aide, and Cole Roberts Waters, 26, who is a prison inmate, were both indicted Tuesday in Minnehaha County Circuit Court.

"The introduction of illegal drugs into our correctional facilities endangers inmates and staff and has led to an inmate's death," said Attorney General Jackley. "We will continue to hold those undermining the safety and security of our prisons accountable."

Both defendants were indicted on one count each of:

*** Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Synthetic Cannabinoids) Resulting in Death. The mandatory minimum sentence is one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

*** Aiding, Abetting or Advising Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Synthetic Cannabinoids) Resulting in Death. The mandatory minimum sentence is one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

*** Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Synthetic Cannabinoids) Resulting in Death. The mandatory minimum sentence is one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

*** Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Synthetic Cannabinoids). The mandatory minimum sentence is one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Krause also was indicted on one count of Possession of an Unauthorized Article (Synthetic Cannabinoids) with Intent to Deliver to an Inmate. The maximum sentence is 10 years in prison.

Waters is currently serving a 65-year prison sentence for a First Degree Manslaughter conviction from Pennington County. He could face a doubling of the sentence for any of the new charges if found guilty.

The next court hearings for Krause and Waters have not yet been scheduled. They are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

Charges have now been filed in three of the eight suspected drug overdose deaths of prison inmates investigated this year by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Inmate Manarion (Mare-nar-ion) Fuse and Melibu Ross of Sioux Falls, who was an acquaintance of an inmate, are scheduled to stand trial in January 2026 for distribution of controlled substances that led to the deaths of two different inmates.

Manarion is charged with one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, synthetic cannabinoids, that resulted in the death of inmate Anthony Richards on Feb. 6, 2025; and one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, synthetic cannabinoids. Fuse is alleged to have provided the drug to Richards who died that night. He faces a maximum of 70 years in prison.

Melibu Lynn Ross, 49, of Sioux Falls is charged with distribution of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, resulting in the death of inmate Jason Garreau, who died on May 15, 2025. She is alleged to have brought the drug into the prison when she visited Garreau on May 14. She faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

The deaths of the five other inmates remain under investigation.

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