Rios was initially charged with murder but later agreed to a plea deal and pleaded guilty to accessory in the kidnapping of Aquash and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Between 1974 and 1975, Thelma Conroy-Rios allowed a fellow male activist Harry Hill (who was known by his middle name, David) to live with her.
[11] Conroy-Rios was an enrolled student at Black Hills State University, but had to drop out after her daughter was born with a rare blood disease in 1970.
[13] She was taken to an apartment in Rapid City, South Dakota owned by Russell Means' brother, and during interrogation, she was raped by John Graham.
[23] Looking Cloud, along with Theda Nelson Clarke and John 'John Boy Patton' Graham, force Aquash into the back of a car and drive her to a remote part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
[15] Her body was discovered on February 24, 1976[25] on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at the bottom of a ravine located in close proximity to an isolated highway.
[31] Judge Delaney of South Dakota suspended the five-year maximum sentence and instead ordered 90 days in jail, which Rios had served while waiting to be released on bond.
[33] Attorney Matt Kinney revealed that Rios had been diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after the negotiation of her plea agreement.
Although Conroy-Rios died before being able to share the information in its totality, Attorney General of South Dakota Marty Jackley has access to her sworn statement and indicated that case is not over.