44-year-old woman killed in Monday homicide

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The name of the woman killed in a homicide Monday in southwest Sioux Falls has been released by the Sioux Falls Police Department. 

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On Thursday, police said Jimmie Ledbetter Jr. , 55, had been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Police said the victim in the case was Ledbetter’s wife, who had recently filed for divorce.  

Ledbetter Jr. made his first court appearance late Friday morning in Lincoln County. He pled not guilty in court. Judge Alison Nelson set bond at $1 million cash-only bond.

The victim’s name is Angie Ledbetter, 44, of Sioux Falls but family members have told KELOLAND News they are remembering her as Angie Scholl. The family has shared this GoFundMe page for people to donate.

Lt. Aaron Nyberg, with SFPD, said the case started with police responding to a call on Monday in the 5300 block of South Anthony Avenue. He said the cause of death was manual strangulation and no tool was used.

Nyberg confirmed police had responded to prior calls at the same location but he wouldn’t go into details regarding previous police contact.

Ledbetter had described the relationship as “rocky,” according to court documents. The victim had filed for divorce from Ledbetter.

Court documents said a family member told police that Ledbetter had come into Angie Ledbetter’s bedroom at about 2 a.m. on Sunday and it had scared her. After that incident, the victim had changed the locks and garage passcode at the residence.

Earlier this week, Jimmie Ledbetter had created another GoFundMe for Angie and posted in on his Facebook page. Police said they will look at possible crimes for the GoFundMe account, but added people should learn as much information before giving money.

According to court documents, investigators gathered video from around the neighborhood, and in one of them you could hear screaming while the suspect was inside the home with the victim.

“Officers use tools like surveillance cameras to establish timelines and things like that,” Nyber said. 

KELOLAND News spoke with Ledbetter in 2018 for a story on domestic violence. In the story Ledbetter said he wanted to “see the courts be stiffer when you see the abuse happen. Women are losing their faith with the courts.”

The family of Angie Scholl sent KELOLAND News this statement.

“Angie was everyone’s favorite person. She was the most selfless and loyal person I’d ever met. She made sacrifices for her family and friends over and over again, constantly prioritizing others’ needs before her own. Her smile was bright and her laugh was so contagious. She leaves behind three children who will all have a huge void in their hearts from her loss. She boasted about her kids’ accomplishments any time you talked to her, she absolutely loved them and will surely continue to be proud of them from up above. She touched the lives of many, her passing is incomprehensible, she will be deeply missed.”

KELOLAND News will have more coverage from this case on air and online.