SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) The accused cold case killer in Minnehaha County gets off with a suspended sentence.
In a plea deal, murder charges were dropped against 57-year-old Kim Aune in the death of 21-year-old Kimberly Eidsness back in 1989, replaced by second-degree manslaughter. Aune could have gotten up to 10 years in jail, but the sentence was suspended, basically to time already served.
State's Attorney Aaron McGowan said the plea deal was worked out with the family of Eidsness based on the fact that a murder conviction wasn't certain. "The family took a vote and unanimously agreed to accept the plea agreement and gain some closure," said McGowan. He added that letting Aune walk wasn't the ideal scenario, but still a just result based on the age of the case.
McGowan said the plea was mostly about the family gaining that closure and knowing that their daughter didn't commit suicide as first thought, and about Aune admitting wrongdoing.
Aune is expected to return to his home in Florida later this month.
(KSFY-TV contributed to this report)