Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2020 Badi case

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A Sioux Falls kidnapping and murder suspect has made a plea deal in Lincoln County in the death of Pasqalina Badi.

Just minutes ago Amir Beaudion pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the judge accepted his plea. All of the other charges including murder, rape, robbery and kidnapping were dropped.

Jury chosen in DSS embezzlement trial

Authorities say Beaudion kidnapped Badi from a Sioux Falls Walmart parking lot in 2020. Authorities say he then raped and killed her, before leaving her body in Lincoln County.

It took several years to get to this point in court. One reason was that the court had to determine if Beaudion was capable of standing trial. In October 2023, more than three years after the crime, a psychiatrist determined Beaudion was schizophrenic. He had been receiving medication since then and the court determined this past January that he could stand trial.