Second man charged in abduction, killing of Yankton woman

YANKTON, S.D. (AP) – Authorities have charged a second man in the kidnapping and killing of a South Dakota woman last year.

A federal indictment filed July 17 charges Ramon Simpson, of Norfolk, Nebraska, with kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in the killing of Phyllis Hunhoff.

Joseph Lloyd James is also charged with murder and kidnapping in the case.

Prosecutors say the pair abducted the 59-year-old Yankton woman near Utica on Nov. 4. She was found three days later in her burned car on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Nebraska.

Prosecutors say James killed Hunhoff, burned her car and attempted to burn her too.

Simpson confessed to driving Hunhoff’s car to Nebraska and is accused of modifying James’ cellphone data.

No court date is set for Simpson.

AP-WF-07-26-19