WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark — A Springdale man charged with murder after killing a man on Christmas Eve in 2021 has changed his plea to guilty in lieu of a jury trial and has been sentenced.
David Pyle, 41, pleaded not guilty in March 2022 to charges of capital murder, possession of firearms by certain persons, and theft of a firearm.
Prosecutors told 5NEWS previously that the death penalty was not on the table in Pyle's case.
His original trial date was set for June 2022 but has since been pushed back multiple times, finally resting on May 21 this year.
However, the trial was canceled and Pyle changed his plea from not guilty to guilty for second-degree murder, theft by receiving, and possessing a firearm on May 23.
According to Prosecuting Attorney Matt Durrett, Pyle was sentenced to 33 years in prison.
The move comes less than a month after Pyle's legal counsel notified the state that they would be raising a defense of justification at this trial.
On Dec. 24, 2021, officers responded to 1889 North College Ave. in Fayetteville around 1 a.m. for a disturbance call. Once on the scene, police located a 30-year-old man, later identified as Cody Tisdell, with stab wounds.
A preliminary report released by the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) says that witnesses on the scene described a fight between two men following an argument.
The suspect, identified as Pyle, allegedly pulled a knife from his car during the altercation and stabbed Tisdell several times before fleeing the scene, according to the report.
Officers rendered aid to Tisdell, and EMS transported him to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries. FPD said the surveillance video from the area matched witnesses' statements about the fight.
Police located Pyle at his home on Hemlock Place in Springdale. The preliminary report states that officers found him barricaded inside his Springdale home, refusing to exit. Pyle then started live streaming on social media, saying he "would not go back to prison."
Pyle is accused of firing a weapon inside his home during negotiations with the police. He is forbidden from owning a firearm due to a prior conviction.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.