Rapid City man makes his first appearance in manslaughter case

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - A Rapid City man makes his first appearance in Seventh Circuit Court this morning, charged in a Nov. 8 incident that led to the death of Edleigha Little, 40, of Rapid City.

Pedro Simental, 44, was arrested on Monday, and now his bond is set at $500,000.

Simental is charged with one count of first-degree manslaughter. He is accused of hitting Little with a can of beans, causing significant blunt-force trauma to the head, resulting in her death on Nov. 10. Police were called to the hospital last Thursday after Little was taken from the Stardust Motel on East North Street.

Magistrate Judge Janki Sharma set Simental’s bond at half a million dollars in cash.

He faces up to life in prison if he’s convicted.

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