A judge sentenced a 45-year-old man to 15 years in prison this week for the manslaughter of a woman he killed with a can of beans after an argument escalated over a torn football jersey.
The Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office announced on December 16 that Pedro Simental pleaded guilty to the first-degree manslaughter of 40-year-old Edleigha Little. The presiding judge acknowledged the complexity of the case, citing challenges caused by the victim’s poor health and other contributing factors. Both the prosecution and defense recommended a 15-year sentence, which the judge deemed “appropriate.”
According to reports from KOTA-TV, the deadly incident occurred in November 2023 when a physical altercation between Simental and Little turned violent. During the confrontation, Simental struck Little over the head with a can of beans. Medical findings revealed that Little had a blood alcohol content level of 0.474% at the time of the incident.
Simental’s attorneys argued that Little was a “severe alcoholic” and that her history of drinking and pre-existing health conditions likely caused the fatal hematoma in her brain. They described the fatal blow as a “single, reckless” strike that contributed to her death but was not solely responsible.
Prosecutors countered by emphasizing Simental’s failure to accept responsibility for his actions. The state’s attorney’s office stated that Simental showed “little to no responsibility for his role in her death.”
According to Law and Crime, the confrontation began when Little tore Simental’s Denver Broncos football jersey, which enraged him.
During the sentencing hearing, Little’s niece described her aunt as “a caring, thoughtful person” who had suffered abuse throughout her relationship with Simental. She urged the judge to impose a harsh sentence to ensure Simental would not “do this to another woman and her family.”
The judge ultimately acknowledged the unique challenges of the case but ruled in favor of the 15-year sentence.
The case underscores the devastating consequences of domestic violence and substance abuse, leaving a grieving family to mourn a woman described as thoughtful and caring while holding her abuser accountable for his role in her tragic death.