Pueblo man sentenced to prison for role in 2021 homicide of Amber Deck
A Pueblo man was sentenced to two years in the Colorado Department of Corrections Friday for his role as an accomplice in the 2021 homicide of Amber Deck, who was killed by Roy Slagle.
Sean Pearce, 56, pleaded guilty to accomplice to a crime, a Class 4 felony, in a plea agreement with the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
In the plea agreement, Pearce pleaded guilty to the only charge filed against him in exchange for a minimum sentence in the case. His sentence also includes three years of probation.
During the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Christine Butterfield said she believed Pearce's statements to investigators made the prosecution of Slagle, the primary co-defendant in the case, possible. She said she believed Pearce initially feared for his life when helping Slagle cover up the act. However, she said, Pearce failed to report what he knew immediately to the police, making him an accomplice to the crime.
Deck's mother, Carol Staff, objected to the plea agreement, stating to 10th District Judge Allison Ernst that she and her family would not be happy with anything less than a trial. Staff stated that holidays had been hard for the family, and "Mother's Day had been especially hard" since she didn't get a call saying "Happy Mother's Day, momma."
"I miss her. Her family misses her, her children miss her, and her dad misses her," Staff said in court. "Her 35th birthday is coming up this month ... we want justice for Amber."
Deck's daughter also stated she felt justice had not yet been served, and that "a lot of evidence had yet to be presented in court."
"Two years for helping to kill my mother is outrageous," she said.
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In a passionate statement to the court, Pearce pleaded for forgiveness from the family and said he still has nightmares of Deck crying to him for help, and being unable to do anything.
"I really and truly feel your pain," he said to Deck's family. "Roy Slagle is no friend of mine. I'd met Amber a few times before and we got on well, we laughed together and I really liked her."
Pearce told the court he was at his desk when he heard Slagle and Deck arguing, followed by the first shot. He stated that at that point, he tried to get in between Slagle and Deck but was shoved aside and nearly pistol-whipped by Slagle, who proceeded to shoot Deck again in the chest.
Pearce stated he was scared for his life, and that he had not reported the incident immediately to police because he was scared Slagle would kill him. Pearce said he was now afraid of going to prison out of fear of being labeled as a rat and harmed by Slagle or his friends.
"I'm so sorry," he told the family. "I pray you to forgive me. I made a mistake and I'm paying for it now."
Ernst told Pearce that he had landed himself in the position he was in through "whatever association he had with Slagle" and that he was responsible for his actions.
"Just understand it is your actions that landed you here," Ernst told Pearce during the hearing.
While Pearce's sentence stipulate a two-year prison sentence, he'll be incarcerated for considerably longer.
According to federal court documents, Pearce was sentenced in December to 10 years in prison for two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The sentence imposed in Pueblo District Court will run consecutively with that sentence.
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Pearce was originally charged in the case after assisting Slagle in covering up the crime. In May 2021, Pearce told investigators he was with Deck and Slagle at 1304 Berkley Ave., a building Pearce called the "wolf den," when the shooting happened.
After the shooting, Pearce alleged Slagle tried to clean the scene and forced him to help dispose of the body, which they put into a green storage tote and covered with trash bags before loading the tote into the front passenger seat of Slagle's truck.
Deck's body was dumped on the side of the road in Pecos, New Mexico, on May 21. A fingerprint was found on one of the trash bags, police said, leading them to Pearce.
Slagle pleaded guilty to Deck's murder in February, admitting to shooting her twice in the chest.
He was sentenced to 42 years in prison with five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution to Deck's family.
Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo man sentenced to prison for role in 2021 homicide of Amber Deck
