On August 20, 2023, Ashton Raine Provost, a 19-year-old Native American female from Porcupine, South Dakota, and her unborn child died from a gunshot wound. Provost was born on August 1, 2004, in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. She was described by her family as having a wild heart and soul. She was a mother to a daughter and was expecting her second child at the time of her death.
Her family remembered her as a tough and sassy individual who loved her family deeply and was always full of laughter.
In connection with the deaths, 20-year-old McKenzie Big Crow of Porcupine, South Dakota, was arrested. The incident occurred near Porcupine, where Big Crow was in possession of a modified semi-automatic rifle. He claimed the firearm, which he had altered to resemble an AK-47, accidentally discharged from a backpack when he bumped it against a door. The single gunshot struck Provost in the chest, leading to the death of both her and her unborn baby within minutes. The weapon was later discovered hidden under Big Crow's bed. At the time of the incident, it was found that Big Crow had marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine in his system.
Initially, the case was handled in tribal court before moving to federal court. In June 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Big Crow on charges of Second Degree Murder, violating the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. Following a three-day trial in January 2025, a jury convicted Big Crow of Involuntary Manslaughter, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. His sentencing was scheduled for April 25, 2025.
