Husband who strangled wife to death, then took a smoke break while medics tried to save her, learns fate

A 51-year-old Colorado antheral who strangled his woman to death, past took a interruption to fume a cigaret and portion a soda portion paramedics tried to prevention her life, volition walk much than 2 decades down bars.

Brian Mervin past week formally pleaded blameworthy to 1 number of second-degree execution successful the 2024 slaying of Cheri Kommer.

Mervin had initially been charged with first-degree execution successful his wife's decease earlier pleading blameworthy to the lesser charge. A authorities justice subsequently ordered him to service 25 years successful a authorities correctional facility, Denver NBC affiliate KUSA reported.

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As Law&Crime previously reported, the incidental occurred connected Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, astatine a location successful the 4000 artifact of North Adams Street successful Denver.

According to a news release from the Denver Police Department, Mervin flagged idiosyncratic down to telephone 911 astatine astir 6:10 that evening, "stating helium recovered his woman connected the crushed struggling to breathe."

Police said Mervin was successful the location and appeared to beryllium "breathing heavy and sweating profusely" erstwhile they arrived, KUSA reported, citing a probable origin affidavit successful his arrest.

First responders recovered Kommer unresponsive connected a bed, the probable origin affidavit said. Medical unit noted "significant bruising and abrasions" connected her cervix and different injuries accordant with strangulation, the papers said.

As exigency aesculapian unit were administering assistance to the unfortunate successful the ambulance extracurricular their home, constabulary reportedly noted that Mervin appeared unconcerned arsenic helium remained wrong to fume a cigaret and portion a soda.

Kommer was taken to a section hospital, wherever she was pronounced dead. After her assemblage was taken to the coroner's office, officials noted further wounds, including scratches and bruises connected her backmost accordant with idiosyncratic being dragged done dense brush, the affidavit said. Her covering was covered successful ungraded and debris, according to the document.

Mervin's communicative down the incidental was unclear. The conception successful the papers astir what helium allegedly told constabulary was heavy redacted, per KUSA. However, the affidavit reportedly noted "several inconsistencies" successful the communicative Mervin told constabulary erstwhile questioned astir his wife's "unexplained superior injuries."

One witnesser reportedly told investigators they heard Mervin and the unfortunate arguing, but did not spot immoderate carnal confrontation betwixt the two, the outlet reported. Two neighbors reportedly said they heard predominant arguing betwixt a antheral and a woman, arsenic good arsenic idiosyncratic perchance throwing items astir wrong the home.

The Denver District Attorney's Office did not instantly respond to inquiries from Law&Crime seeking further accusation astir the crime.