Man Fatally Shot His Former Romantic Partner with His Child in The Apartment Following Argument Over Phone

A Washington, D.C., man who fatally shot his girlfriend in 2023 pleaded guilty to murder in federal court.

Pernell Sims, 35, will be sentenced in March after he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the death of Tyshida Williams, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Prosecutors said Sims and Williams were in a relationship on July 30, 2023 when he got angry about her phone that morning.

“Sims and Williams then went to the lobby and parking garage area of Sims’ apartment building and argued for more than an hour,” prosecutors said. “While in the parking garage, the defendant threw Williams to the ground and kicked her in the chest.”

The couple then went back inside Sims’ apartment, where his child was, then closed the door.

“Sims then shot Williams in the left side of her head. Williams died from her injuries later that morning,” federal prosecutors said.

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WUSA reported that Williams’ death was initially ruled a suicide, though it was subsequently changed to a homicide and Sims was arrested in November 2023. He has been in custody since then.

“Sims confirmed that, in shooting Williams, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense,” prosecutors said.

Sims is scheduled to be sentenced in March.