Judge Moves Cocaine Death Trial to December 28
Federal court reschedules the joint trial of Kevin Chapman and Mark Milk over the death of 14-year-old McKenna Wendel.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Drug Crime
A federal judge granted a request to move Kevin Chapman's trial from December 14 to December 28, 2026, and the same date is set for the trial of co-defendant Mark Milk. Both men were named in the same superseding indictment in connection with the death of 14-year-old McKenna Wendel.
Why it matters
Federal prosecutors asked that the co-defendants be tried together because both were named in the same superseding indictment, and Chapman's defense did not object. The case involves a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine resulting in death, with alleged conduct in Iowa's Northern District.
Chapman's trial has been moved to December 28, 2026, and his November 17 deadline for pretrial motions remains unchanged. The charges against both men are allegations, and the court has not yet ruled on the merits of the case.
The players
Kevin Chapman
Chapman is a defendant charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine resulting in death in connection with the case of 14-year-old McKenna Wendel.
Mark Milk
Milk is a co-defendant named in the same superseding indictment as Chapman and scheduled for joint trial with him.
The details
Chapman and Milk are charged in connection with the death of McKenna Wendel, who was reported missing from Sioux Falls on March 13 and whose remains were found nearly a week later in rural Brookings County, South Dakota. Prosecutors say the alleged crimes took place in Iowa's Northern District, and the complaint charges Chapman with conspiracy to distribute cocaine resulting in death.
Timeline
September 28, 2025: Complaint filed against Chapman in the Northern District of Iowa.
March 13, 2026: McKenna Wendel reported missing from Sioux Falls.
March 17, 2026: Alleged conspiracy period ends in Lyon County, Iowa.
November 4, 2026: Judge grants motion moving Chapman's trial.
December 28, 2026: Joint trial date for Chapman and Milk.
Legal Context
The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine resulting in death falls under federal drug law, which carries enhanced penalties when a distribution leads to a fatality. Joint federal trials of co-defendants named in a single superseding indictment are a common procedural practice when the evidence overlaps.
Residents of northwest Iowa and southeastern South Dakota may follow the case because the alleged conduct and the victim's disappearance touch both states. The court schedule set now determines when the public record in the case will be developed at trial.
The takeaway
Trial dates in federal cases often shift as co-defendants are joined, so the December 28 date is the current schedule rather than a final outcome. Readers can track the case through the federal docket for the Northern District of Iowa.
What happens next
The joint trial of Kevin Chapman and Mark Milk is scheduled to begin December 28, 2026, and Chapman's pretrial motions are due November 17.
Further reading
For more on federal drug cases in the region, see Drug Crime.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ktiv.
