A 51-year-old man from Colorado has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison after he strangled his wife to death, taking a moment to smoke a cigarette and drink a soda while paramedics attempted to save her.

Brian Mervin last week formally pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the 2024 slaying of Cheri Kommer.

Mervin was initially facing charges of first-degree murder in connection to his wife’s death but later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. This resulted in a judge ordering a 25-year sentence in a state correctional facility, according to a report by Denver NBC affiliate KUSA reported.

As Law&Crime previously reported, the incident occurred on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, at a home in the 4000 block of North Adams Street in Denver.

The Denver Police Department issued a news release revealing that at around 6:10 that evening, Mervin stopped someone to call 911, claiming he discovered his wife on the floor, struggling to breathe.

When officers arrived at the scene, Mervin appeared to be “breathing heavily and sweating profusely,” as per the probable cause affidavit referenced by KUSA.

Emergency responders found Kommer on a bed, unresponsive, and noted injuries such as “significant bruising and abrasions” on her neck, which were indicative of strangulation, as the affidavit detailed.

While medical teams were tending to the victim in an ambulance outside their residence, police noticed that Mervin seemed indifferent, opting to stay inside to smoke and drink a soda.

Kommer was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. After her body was taken to the coroner’s office, officials noted additional wounds, including scratches and bruises on her back consistent with someone being dragged through heavy brush, the affidavit said. Her clothing was covered in dirt and debris, according to the document.

Mervin’s story behind the incident was unclear. The section in the document about what he allegedly told police was heavily redacted, per KUSA. However, the affidavit reportedly noted “several inconsistencies” in the story Mervin told police when questioned about his wife’s “unexplained serious injuries.”

One witness reportedly told investigators they heard Mervin and the victim arguing, but did not see any physical confrontation between the two, the outlet reported. Two neighbors reportedly said they heard frequent arguing between a man and a woman, as well as someone possibly throwing items around inside the home.

The Denver District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to inquiries from Law&Crime seeking additional information about the crime.