PORCUPINE, S.D. - A 20-year-old Porcupine man has been found guilty in the shooting death of his girlfriend and her unborn baby. After a three-day jury trial, McKenzie Big Crow was convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.

The incident occurred on Aug. 20, 2023, near Porcupine. Big Crow was illegally in possession of a modified Savage Arms Model 62 semiautomatic rifle. The weapon had been altered with a sawed-off barrel, and parts from an Airsoft rifle were taped to it to make it resemble an AK-47.

Big Crow claimed the gun discharged accidentally when he bumped his backpack, where the weapon was concealed, against a door. However, the shot struck 19-year-old Ashton Provost in the chest, killing her and her unborn child. Authorities later found the weapon hidden under Big Crow’s bed.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 25.