A man from Sioux Falls, identified by investigators as the prime suspect in a tragic downtown homicide, has formally entered pleas for the grave charges levelled against him. Edward Leon Brinkley, aged 39, stood before the court on Monday to plead not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and illegal possession of a firearm following a prior conviction for a violent crime.
The charges stem from an extensive investigation into the untimely demise of Richard Alexander Sowers, a 28-year-old resident of Sioux Falls. Sowers was discovered with three gunshot wounds in an upstairs hallway of an apartment building located at 232 East 12th Street at 2:17 a.m. on March 17. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Sowers succumbed to his injuries, as indicated by an affidavit detailing the incident.
Brinkley, the alleged perpetrator in this harrowing crime, was apprehended without resistance approximately 17 hours after the incident unfolded. In a tragic turn of events, the victim lost his life due to the fatal gunshot wounds inflicted upon him. Brinkley, however, refuted the state’s classification of him as a habitual violent offender during the court proceedings.
The accused has a prior criminal record, having been convicted in 2005 for serious offenses like simple robbery and kidnapping in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Additionally, in 2020, Brinkley was found guilty of aggravated assault after assaulting two individuals with a pocket knife outside PAve in downtown Sioux Falls two years prior.
Currently, Brinkley remains incarcerated on a substantial $1 million cash bond at the Minnehaha County Jail. During his initial court appearance on March 19, he was strictly instructed to refrain from possessing any weapons, contacting witnesses, or reaching out to the victim’s grieving family.
Sioux Falls Police Lieutenant Aaron Nyberg disclosed to the Argus Leader on March 19 that witnesses and surveillance footage played a pivotal role in identifying Brinkley as the prime suspect in this heart-wrenching incident. The investigation is still ongoing, with authorities diligently working to unravel the intricate details surrounding the relationship between the two men and the possible motives behind the heinous act..
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