Wild Rice: Man Arrested in Attempted Murder Case

WILD RICE, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – A South Dakota man was arrested following an investigation into a seriously injured woman found south of Fargo.

Tracy Vaughn Peters, 60, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was arrested Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

Authorities identified Peters as a suspect in an attempted murder investigation involving a woman discovered near Wild Rice.

The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a Fargo hospital for emergency medical care.

Woman Found Critically Injured Near Wild Rice

Cass County deputies responded to the area of 112th Avenue South and County Road 81 on Tuesday, October 13.

The emergency call came at approximately 4:45 p.m.

The location is about five miles south of Fargo, near the Wild Rice River.

Deputies discovered a woman suffering from severe injuries and arranged emergency medical treatment.

The woman remained hospitalized Wednesday evening, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities initially released limited information about her injuries or the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Investigators began gathering evidence and interviewing people who might have information about what happened.

Investigators identified Peters as a suspect following their initial investigation.

He was located at an apartment complex in south Fargo early Wednesday afternoon.

Members of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Metro Area Street Crimes Unit, and U.S. Marshals Task Force participated.

Peters was taken into custody without incident.

Authorities reported that the investigation moved quickly following interviews and information released to the public.

Peters was booked into the Cass County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder.

The suspected offense is classified as a Class A felony under North Dakota law.

Federal court records show Peters has a previous conviction involving an assault against an intimate partner.

The case involved an assault in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on November 3, 2016.

Peters was convicted of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner.

He received a six-month prison sentence in July 2017.

North Dakota court records also show earlier minor convictions involving harassment, false reports, and insufficient funds.

Those previous cases are separate from the current attempted murder investigation.

As of the October 14 announcement, authorities had not confirmed the filing of a formal criminal complaint.

Investigators continued gathering evidence while the injured woman received medical care.

Additional reporting on October 15 described the woman as 28 years old and identified severe neck injuries.

Authorities also credited two people checking hunting cameras with helping locate the injured woman.

Readers can find official information through the Cass County government website.

Public court information is available through the North Dakota Court System.

Peters is presumed innocent of the current allegations unless proven guilty in court.

TRF News will continue following the investigation as more verified information becomes available.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.