Vernon Selig, a 57-year-old White male from Rapid City, South Dakota, was found deceased on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. His body was discovered in the afternoon in an area near Victoria Lake Road and First Thunder Road, just outside of Rapid City, suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. The Pennington County Sheriff's Office responded to the report and the subsequent investigation led authorities to classify his death as a homicide.
The investigation quickly
centered on a person of interest: Vernon Selig's 30-year-old son, Nicholas Selig. A search was initiated for Nicholas, who was considered armed and dangerous. Dozens of officers from the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office were involved in the search. He was believed to be in the vicinity of Highway 16 and Gondola Road, and residents in the area were advised to secure their homes.
Two days later, on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Nicholas Selig was located and taken into custody. A passerby spotted a man matching his description walking in the 1200 block of Jackson Boulevard shortly before 11:00 a.m. and alerted the authorities. Rapid City police officers responded and confirmed his identity. Following his apprehension, Nicholas Selig was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with his father's death and is being held at the Pennington County Jail.
In the weeks following the arrest, questions regarding Nicholas Selig's fitness to stand trial arose. After missing his first two court appearances, during which he reportedly resisted officers and interrupted the judge, a competency evaluation was ordered. His next status hearing was scheduled for November 18, 2025. If convicted of first-degree murder, he could face a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
