News

Candace’s case went unsolved until 1995, when a woman came forward and said that her former son-in-law, James Stroh, and his cousin Nicholas Scherr, had sexually assaulted and killed Candace after meeting her in Mobridge. At the time, James and Nicholas were 16 and 15 years old.

James Stroh cooperated with authorities and pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 15 years, and was released in 2004.

Nicholas Scherr was initially charged with first-degree murder but took an agreement to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 100 years, but was released on July 11, 2019 after serving just 23 years in prison.

During testimony, it was learned that the boys’ families were in Mobridge for a few days when they met Candace one evening and spent time driving around. They eventually took her to a field where they both sexually assaulted her. Nicholas then retrieved a gun from the truck and shot Candace twice, ordering his cousin to do the same. The boys then dragged her body by a chain with the truck to the river and left her. She was found 9 months later.

The depraved and heartless way in which these boys treated another human life is enough to make you sick to your stomach. It's inhumane. Candace was only 18-years-old. She was a mother to a little 2-year-old boy who grew up without his mom.

Remembering Candace is important. Her case is solved and she has justice in the name of the law, but nothing will bring her back. Her family and the community was forever changed. For them, it will never feel like justice was served.

Candace’s granddaughter, Mercedes, told the West River Eagle about a letter she wrote to Nicholas Scherr prior to his parole.

“I guess I wanted Scherr to know he didn’t win — despite all he did to my grandma, she still lives on in people’s hearts. And even if I didn’t know her, I have a piece of her in my heart, too. She lives through me and all that knew her.