Men sentenced in Mitchell murder case

September 15, 2022

MITCHELL, S.D.–Two people charged in connection with the murder of a man in a downtown Mitchell apartment in January 2021 were sentenced in Davison County Court Wednesday.

Twenty nine year old Luis Perez-Melendez and 28-year old Jose Morales Acevedo went to the apartment of 38-year old Adalberto Machado to steal from him and collect drug money that was owed to them.

Perez-Melendez, who admitted to being the shooter, pleaded guilty to Manslaughter and was sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Judge Chris Giles noted that the crime was “heinous in nature after Machado was shot seven times in the head, chest, shoulder, and hands – almost like an execution.”

Morales Acevedo pleaded guilty to First-Degree Robbery and was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 12 and a half years suspended.