DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced a homicide defendant who fatally shot his romantic partner to 17 years in prison on March 20.
Pernell Sims, 35, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to second-degree murder while armed for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Tyshida Williams, 31, on July 30, 2023 on the 4000 block of South Capitol Street, SW. Williams sustained one gunshot wound to her head. Sims and Williams were in a romantic relationship when the offense occurred.
As part of the plea agreement, parties agreed to a sentence range of 15-to-18 years, approved by Judge Edelman.
At the proceeding, the court heard victim impact statements from several of Williams’ family members.
“You killed the person who meant the most to me,” Williams’ daughter said in a letter to the court. She said her mother genuinely cared about Sims and he betrayed her by taking her life. She asked for Sims to receive the maximum sentence.
“I never liked you,” Williams’ brother said toward Sims during his statement. He went on to say Williams was a loving woman and loved Sims’ son like her own.
“My granddaughter was my heart,” said Williams’ grandmother who raised her. She recalled another incident when the police came to her door looking for Sims because he allegedly beat his son’s mother and took his son. “I’m sick and tired of what he’s done to this community and this family.”
Williams’ best friend highlighted her roles as a mother, daughter, and friend. She said that Williams gave her all to every person she came in contact with, including the person that took her life. She asked Judge Edelman to give Sims the justice he deserved with a maximum sentence.
“He’s a manipulator, a coward, and I want him to get the most time ever,” as punishment for taking the life of a loved one, said Williams’ aunt.
She highlighted the effect of Williams’ loss on their family, as they now have to raise her daughter. Williams’ aunt said she previously told Williams not to go back to Sims, due to his history of domestic violence.
“Justice can affirm that her life mattered,” another one of Williams’ aunts said in her plea for the maximum sentence.
The prosecution argued for an 18 year sentence, citing Sims’ significant history of domestic violence with multiple arrests and convictions.
The prosecution told the court that Sims “terrorized” Williams for over an hour before he shot her. According to prosecutors, Sims took Williams phone and keys so she couldn’t get away and, at one point, she ran into the hallway and he dragged her back into the apartment.
The prosecution showed security footage to the court, in which Sims chased Williams and kicked her on the ground. Prosecutors said Williams had a massive contusion on her chest from the injury.
They told Judge Edelman that Sims committed the murder while his son was in the apartment, traumatizing him. Sims told investigators his son lied about hearing his father shoot Williams.
Prosecutors also mentioned that Sims FaceTimed Williams’ daughter from the scene and falsely told her that her mother committed suicide.
Sims’ attorney, Quo Judkins, read a statement from her client in which he said he took accountability for his actions and expressed sincere remorse. Additionally, Sims said he understood the impact Williams’ murder had on the family.
Judkins argued that Sims has the ability to be a productive member of society. Sims earned his GED and HVAC certification, making him employable, noted Judkins, and he continued to work while incarcerated at the DC Jail.
Additionally, Judkins told the court that Sims was shot in the head in 2018, and continues to suffer from the effects.
Sims gave a statement in which he apologized for his actions.
“This was an inexcusable and brutal act of domestic violence,” Judge Edelman said. He acknowledged that Sims looked like a contributing member of society notwithstanding his behavior in intimate relationships.
Judge Edelman accepted the plea deal and sentenced Sims to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Sims will also be required to register as a firearm offender upon his release.
No further dates were set.
