Cole Brings Plenty's Death: Hundreds of Mourners Gather on Horseback for Yellowstone Spinoff Actor's Open Casket Ceremony

Days after his body was found in the Kansas woods, 1923 actor Cole Brings Plenty had his tragic homecoming Sunday, with an entire community in rural South Dakota on Sunday tearfully welcoming home a young man whom they had described as their “great hope”.

Hundreds of mourners filled a school gymnasium in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, in front of his open casket during a ceremony in a school gymnasium adorned with traditional teepees and drum circles.

Police believe no foul play was involved in his death, but the celebrant at Sunday's ceremony told mourners that funeral directors had to do “a lot of work” on his body.

“When he first went missing, my little brother called me and said, 'Say a prayer for us, Cole is missing,'” officiant Delane Has No Horse told the congregation.

“Well, that phone call, I never thought it could lead to this day.”

Cole, also known as Coco, was the nephew of Yellowstone star Mo Brings Plenty and appeared in the 1923 prequel as shepherd Pete Plenty Clouds. He was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Kevin Costner and other Yellowstone and 1923 stars did not attend the ceremony.

Kansas police have not yet released the cause of his death, but said they do not believe foul play.

Days before he was found, police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with a domestic violence incident.

Officers received reports of a “woman screaming for help” at an apartment in Lawrence, according to 12News. Cole was seen leaving Lawrence in his car, which was later spotted near where his body was found.

Sioux tribal leaders have demanded a “full and thorough” investigation into the actor’s death.

Cole's father, Joseph Brings Plenty, meanwhile called on people to “pray for justice for Coco”, adding: “We found my son, now we have to find out what happened and hold people accountable. responsible for what happened.”

However, at Sunday's wake, the father was solely focused on grieving his son. The father, who has deep roots in the community, gathered from the start with other family members, embracing mourners who came to offer support.

Before opening the coffin, Delane Has No Horse advised mourners not to get too close to the body.

“Don’t touch the body,” he said, stressing that the funeral directors “had to do a lot of work.”

The gathering included people of all ages, including parents with children, many of whom considered Cole an inspiration, saying he showed respect for his roots even as he succeeded as an actor.

“Cole was the great hope of a younger generation of Cheyenne River and our Native children across the country,” said Bobbie Jo Kraft, a family friend. “He was out in the world, making his way while sharing our culture. He was a role model for our community, showing kids that there was a whole world out there.

The ceremony at the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte school began late in the afternoon when a horse-drawn carriage arrived with Cole's casket, which was draped in a traditional Lakota star quilt.

The carriage was accompanied by a caravan including his family and friends, as well as a string of horses. They stopped at the entrance as drums beat and incense filled the air.

Inside, the coffin was placed in front of three teepees and flanked by portraits of a beaming Cole.

A program distributed at the wake, titled Coco's Light, notes that his Lakota name was Wakiyan, meaning thunder, and that he spent most of his young life in Eagle Butte. He described him as “always happy, smiling and thinking of the feelings of others”. He also mentioned his varied interests, including playing the drums, dancing, drawing, poetry and horse riding. He grew up boxing with his family at Wolves Den Boxing Club and has competed in over 75 recorded fights. He later enjoyed modeling in fashion shows and traveling the world.

His uncle Mo Brings Plenty introduced Cole to acting.

“He was obviously a rising star,” the program says, citing several small roles in Yellowstone, followed by the recurring role in 1923.

“When his father first saw him on screen in his first episode of the 1923 series, he was struck by his own son,” he adds. “Cole's dad said he was the native version of Matthew McConaughey because he was so cool, his dad was so proud of him.”

Cole also participated in a podcast called Good Morning Indian Country, which helped him become part of the indigenous movement and move toward a positive narrative for our nations. Cole became a spokesperson, a global representative of our indigenous nations.

“Coco, all we have is the kindness you left us; the way loved ones and people are supposed to treat each other, the love and care you had for the world,” the program continues. “We still love you Coco and we will do our best to live by your example.”

There will be another vigil at the school Monday evening. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, followed by a closing service at Brings Plenty Family Cemetery in Red Scaffold, South Dakota.