Federal appeals court rejects ND foster dad appeal, upholds life sentence for murder

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A federal appeals court denied an appeal by a North Dakota man, convicted of murder, child abuse and child neglect.

Erich Longie of Tokio, North Dakota and his wife, Tammy, were convicted of killing a five-year-old child, as well as neglecting and abusing children they were fostering on the Spirit Lake Reservation in 2020.

He pleaded guilty in June of 2022 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Longie claimed the district court unfairly denied his motion to withdraw his guilty plea before he was convicted and sentenced for his crimes last June. However, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Longie’s claims and affirmed the judgement of the lower court.

Longie’s wife, Tammy, has also appealed her life sentence. That appeal is still pending.