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StumbleJury finds ex-FBI special agent guilty of manslaughter in hammer death
Judge sets sentencing for February for 63-year-old former law enforcement officer
Edward Preciado-Nuno is shown during a break in his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center Thursday, December 16, 2010. Preciado-Nuno, a retired FBI special agent, is accused of killing his son’s girlfriend Kimberly Long. Preciado-Nuno says he was attacked by the girlfriend and killed her in self-defense.
Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010 | 4:54 p.m.
Sun Archives
- Ex-FBI special agent to testify in his own murder trial (12-16-2010)
- Blood stain with hammer imprint shown in ex-FBI agent's murder trial (12-13-2010)
- Pathologist testifies in trial for ex-FBI agent accused in hammer killing (12-8-2010)
- Trial begins for ex-FBI agent accused of killing son's girlfriend with hammer (11-14-2010)
- Retired FBI agent arrested in woman’s hammer death (11-14-2008)
A jury found retired San Diego FBI special agent Edward Preciado-Nuno guilty of voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon Tuesday afternoon in Clark County District Court.
Preciado-Nuno, 63, who was out on bail, was taken into custody and will be sentenced on Feb. 23. The jury deliberated from 9 a.m. until about 2:30 p.m., Chief Deputy District Attorney Giancarlo Pesci said.
“We’re grateful he’s in custody,” Pesci said.
Preciado-Nuno was arrested in November 2008 on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon. Police found Preciado-Nuno’s son’s girlfriend Kimberly Long dead in his son’s garage with several blunt force trauma wounds.
The trial began Nov. 14 of this year and the main issue contested was whether the attack was self-defense or murder.
In his opening statements, Pesci said the evidence would show that Long was trying to defend herself. He showed the jury an autopsy photo of Long's head. It showed 13 places where Preciado-Nuno had hit her with a claw hammer.
Pesci also showed the jurors photos of cuts and bruises from the hammer marks on her arm, plus an X-ray that showed her arm had been broken. There were 34 areas of injury on her body, he said.
Thomas Pitaro, defense attorney for Preciado-Nuno, said he was attacked first by Long and he was trying to diffuse a “toxic” relationship between his son and Long.
According to a police report, Long and Jeffrey Preciado-Nuno had been a couple for about five years and had an infant son together. But they had had a somewhat turbulent relationship that that in the past resulted in arrests for both of them, police said.
Jeffrey Preciado-Nuno had called his father, a retired FBI agent and longtime law enforcement officer, asking for help and advice on how to break off the relationship and evict Long from the home.
The fight broke out when the father had sent his son away from the home, so the father could explain to Long that they were gathering documentation about a recent violent episode where she had punched him in the face and broken his nose.
A document containing a written voluntary police statement that the son planned to file with police about that incident was found on the floor of the garage next to Long's body and the pool of blood, police said.
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Right! His son was asking advise and the father shows up with a claw hammer. After he sends his son away from the home, the woman is murdered. The father murdered this woman in cold blood, pure and simple! Maybe when he was a "special agent" he could get way with this, not anymore.
Retired FBI Special Agent beats a woman to death with a hammer and the jury comes back with voluntary manslaughter? How about murder??
Put him in the general population and let his fellow inmates know what he did for a living.
He'll get a taste of his own medicine, and we'll be saved an expensive housing and clothing bill.
The old saying of if you can't do the crime don't do the time comes into play here. Ed Preciado-Nuno got everything he deserved today, may all his fellow inmates know he is an Ex FBI agent and treat him the way he deserves to be treated. How dare he think he could play God and take poor Kim's life, known as a mother of 4, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin a friend and get away with it. I am very pleased that the Jury came back with a verdict of involuntary manslaughter, but really wish they could have seen this as to what it really was plain out right murder!
Contrary to the false descriptions and misleading accounts the media has put forth, Ed Preciado is a great, kind person that acted out of self defense when he was attacked by Kim Long, a strung out drug user who has a history of violence. She, Kim Long, assaulted her own mother, her ex-husband, and Jeff with extreme aggression and force. Ed has never had so much as a mark on his record as a law enforcement officer or a complaint EVER filed against him. She is the monster and he happened to survive. Only to face this sad mishandling of the evidence in the case to include Las Vegas Metro Police not collecting items at the scene, destruction of the only blood sample from her showing her toxic levels of drugs in her system, and the list goes on and on. Don't pass judgement on something until you know the facts and what actually happened. It is sad and tragic, no one wanted this outcome. Ed defended himself against a drug crazed monster that had more height and weight on him and dominated him in the attack on him. He saved his own life and this is what the Las Vegas Justice System does?? This is a travesty and everyone should be irate about this from the police who first responded to the DA who obviously haven't looked at things in a fair and balanced light.
We need more psychiatric evaluations for law enforcement. Pre-employment, during and after employment.
Mark...thank you so much for your comment, as family of the Preciado family, I cannot begin to explain the frustration we feel...BUT I also sympathize with Kimmies family as well....Ed is the most wonderful, gentle, and warmest man that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, I KNOW that this was not a pre-meditated crime and hope and pray that the courts will be lenient with sentencing...The Preciado family did not deserve this, nor did Kimmie...Prayers are with Ed and his family.
Sounds like he weighed the ramifications...He could rid his son of this woman forever and knew he'd be prosecuted but also knew he was in his 60's and a former law enforcement agent so he thought it may be a short prison stretch. Figured short term incarceration was worth removing her from the family forever.
Thank you mark and kelli. I believe in him and always will. He is and was a good man to say the least. It hurts to see comments from people who clearly dont know what they are talking about.Sadly, its also is a clear reminder not to believe anything you read in the media. I guess the people that know and care about him are the only ones that we should really care about. What happened that day will forever change numerous lives and is a tragedy for ALL involved.
Ex FBI, hell I would have shot her instead of using a hammer. Why didn't the son just divorce this woman? A grown man doesn't call daddy cause he can't handle his woman.
I sure dont expect the kid to understand anything, im sure he is learning a feds ways though. from now on he will be sneeky, think everyone is a criminal (except for feds) and try to bully his way through life. oh wait, im sure he already learned that. as they say, it take two to have a fight. ove the years, cops and feds have proven there the ones not to trust.
He should have killed her by shooting her, claimed she had the hammer, and claimed he felt his life was in danger. This has worked for Metro officers every time, even when the deceased isn't armed with anything. DA won't prosecute.
Some of us think libs need more psychiatric evaluations, mred.
Mark_10-88
"Contrary to the false descriptions and misleading accounts the media has put forth, Ed Preciado is a great, kind person that acted out of self defense..."
...34 times!
Mark_10-88
Great idea on the 34... a year for every hit...
I have known Mr. Preciado for the last 26 years. If you were to meet him you would know that he is a great family man and that he knows no stranger. To know him is to love him.
Just because he is a man, an Ex-FBI agent, and a former marine does not make him guilty. I think sometimes we lump every "law enforcement" person into people who think they are above the law. He has never been that kind of a man and that is not what he has taught his children. We get caught in the "man" or "FBI" aspect of things and forget the domestic violence goes the other way. Violence should never be tolerated; Jeff was finally trying to make the appropriate choice and leave a very unhealthy relationship for his son. I know Jeff feels a great guilt and loss for both Kim and now his father. (This is not his fault either. What happened does not make him less of a man; he was trying to do the right thing.)
Have you ever been around a person on drugs and pissed them off or just been around them when they have had a bad day? They are not rational people, especially when they have a history of violence; to include against their own family members. Why did she only have custody of one child outside of that relationship? Know the facts before you speak harsh words.
Mr. Preciado was defending himself. He would have never imagined or hoped for things to have ended that way. His son loved her. She was part of their family. Most of us would have pick something up from the garage and defended ourselves as well; this ended tragically. Both families are hurting. I know that Kim's family has a huge loss and they are searching for answers and justice to make the pain go away. For that I am truly sorry.
He has on many occasions has risked his life and family for our country's freedom and safety. I hope and pray that the judge can see the facts and that things will go well.
Just out of curiousity, what was Kims intent when she delivered the first blow??