Cedar Rapids woman sentenced to 20 years for fatally stabbing her boyfriend last year

CEDAR RAPIDS — The little sister of Anthony L. Fitts, who was fatally stabbed by his pregnant girlfriend during an argument in January 2024, said Friday his “violent” death has caused her unimaginable pain.

Jazmine Sykes, appearing by video to give her victim statement for the sentencing of Charmisha Pirtle, convicted of voluntary manslaughter and willful injury causing serious injury, said she never thought she would lose her 29-year-old big brother. He was also a father that was deeply loved by her family. He “wasn’t just a name on a case file.”

Her mother, Renee Townsend, in her statement read by another person, said Jan. 24, 2024, when her son was killed, was the worst day of her life. He deserved to see his children grow up and to see his family for years to come.

Townsend said Pirtle’s sentence is not enough for the pain she has caused their family.

Allocution

Pirtle, 32, during sentencing apologized to Fitts family. She said not a “day goes by without thinking” of him. She takes full responsibility for her actions and hopes they can forgive her someday.

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She also apologized to her family, many of who were in the courtroom Friday, and to her children for not having a “daddy” any more. Pirtle said she couldn’t take back what she did but can make “better choices” in the future. She intends to “better” herself in prison and work on her “inner self.”

Mitigating factors

Sixth Judicial District Judge Valerie Clay sentenced Pirtle to up to 20 years for both convictions, running them consecutively, but she didn’t order the 10 years mandatory minimum on each charge, which Clay had the discretion to do.

Clay, instead, didn’t impose mandatory minimum on the willful injury conviction and only imposed a two years mandatory on the voluntary manslaughter conviction to be served before Pirtle is eligible for parole.

Clay considered some mitigating circumstances in making her decision on the mandatory minimum, including that Pirtle didn’t seek out Fitts during this argument and she grabbed a knife to defend herself, according to evidence.

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Pirtle’s “mild intellectual ability and having the problem solving skills of an 11-year-old,” diagnosed by a psychologist, also was considered, along with Pirtle’s childhood abuse and domestic abuse history, including a history with Fitts.

Clay said the fact that Pirtle calling 911 “promptly” after stabbing Fitt and not running from the scene, were also mitigating factors.

Clay also ordered Pirtle to pay $150,000 in restitution to Fitts estate or heirs.

Previous plea hearing

Pirtle, who was pregnant at the time on Jan. 24, 2024, admitted during the plea hearing in April to stabbing Fitts, who was the father of her unborn child and another child. She also admitted the stabbing was done in the “heat of sudden, violent and irresistible passion” that resulted from “serious provocation” and that she acted without justification.

Pirtle, in admitting to willful injury, said she intended to cause serious injury to Fitts.

She was originally charged with second-degree murder.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Andrew Powers, during the plea, said Pirtle used a kitchen knife with a 7-inch blade to stab Fitts in his upper left chest, left hip, left hand and right knee. A knife blade 5 inches or longer is considered a dangerous weapon under Iowa law, he added.

According to a preliminary autopsy report, the fatal stab wound to Fitts was in the upper left side of his chest that penetrated “skin, muscle, rib cage and a lung,” a criminal complaint stated. He also had stab wounds to his left hip, his left hand and right knee.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com