Spearfish man suspected of killing wife pleads not guilty to charges

DEADWOOD, S.D. (KOTA) - The suspect in the murder of a Spearfish woman formally entered pleas on murder, drug and firearm criminal charges.

On Thursday, 33-year-old Dreau Lester Rogers pleaded not guilty to 10 various counts related to the alleged homicide of his wife, Destiny Dawn Rogers, 43, during a motions hearing in Fourth Judicial Circuit Court.

Rogers is charged with one count of first-degree murder, a class A felony, which could be reduced to second-degree murder in the alternative.

If convicted of the primary charge, the alleged could face the death penalty or a minimum of life in prison, plus a $50,000 fine.

Rogers also faces the following charges:

One count of commission of felony while armed with firearms (murder), a class 2 felony
One count of commission of felony while armed with firearms (unauthorized possession of controlled drug or substance), a class 2 felony
One count of unauthorized possession of controlled drug or substance with intent to distribute (methamphetamine), a class 4 felony
One count of unauthorized possession of controlled drug or substance (methamphetamine), a class 5 felony
One count of unauthorized ingestion of controlled drug or substance (methamphetamine), a class 5 felony.
One count of unauthorized possession of controlled drug or substance (heroin), a class 5 felony
Two counts of possession of a firearm by one with prior drug conviction, a class 6 felony
One count of possession of a firearm with altered serial number, a class 6 felony

Rogers’ next status hearing is set for March 3, 2022 at the Lawrence County Courthouse.

Context

According to a probable cause affidavit, Dreau called 911 to request an ambulance to the couple’s home in the 700 block of N. St. Joe Street in Spearfish, SD at roughly 12:48 a.m., Jan. 22, 2022.

Upon the responding officers’ arrival, a female victim, later identified as Destiny, was found with a gunshot wound on the living room floor of the residence.

Officers attempted to resuscitate Destiny and later had her transported to Spearfish Monument Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

Dreau alleged to officers that another man, Donovan Derrek, had shot Destiny following a verbal argument between the men inside the home. Dreau then claimed Donovan fired at him with a .45 caliber pistol, striking Destiny, whom was standing behind him.

A responding officer contacted Derrek at his residence, whom provided an alibi stating he was at another man’s house in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting. The unnamed individual corroborated his account with time-stamped text messages and cell phone photos.

Additionally, a search of Derrek’s residence did not uncover any items tying him to the homicide.

Officers conducted a search of Dreau’s residence. They found a .45 caliber pistol in the back yard of the home, as well as ammunition matching the caliber and look of the shell casing that was fired at Destiny.

Officers also discovered 15 bags of methamphetamine, one bag of heroin and two bags of fentanyl pills.

Dreau later told investigators he knew his DNA would be on the gun, but alleged the firearm belonged to Derrek and that he had shot his wife.