Boyfriend arrested after spanking turned deadly, Metro report indicates

By Brian Nordli

Monday, March 17, 2014 | 12:29 p.m.

The 26-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend had an agreement: When one of them “messed up,” the other would dish out punishment in the form of a spanking with a belt.

But a Metro Police arrest report indicates the punishment this weekend went beyond a leather strap to the buttocks, and now Edward Edgerton is in jail after his arrest in the death Saturday of his girlfriend.

Metro Police arrived about 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Edgerton’s apartment in the 3000 block of Nellis Boulevard, where they found him waiting inside with his unresponsive girlfriend. The woman, identified as 24-year-old Tyanna Reynolds, was transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where she died, the report said.

According to the report, the couple started arguing around midnight after Edgerton intercepted a phone call from Reynolds’ ex-boyfriend. Edgerton told police he pinned Reynolds to the bed and forced to her to write down her recent contacts with her ex-boyfriend.

Edgerton told Reynolds to stand in the corner and read aloud what she had written. Edgerton then spanked Reynolds' exposed bottom 15 to 20 times with a belt for “messing up,” the report said.

Later Saturday, Edgerton discovered more missed calls from Reynolds’ ex-boyfriend, reigniting the argument, the report said.

During the ensuing fight, Reynolds told Edgerton she could not breathe. Edgerton said he helped Reynolds to bed and gave her a wet towel to cool down, the report said. After a brief recovery, she went to take a shower, where she passed out, Edgerton told officers.

Edgerton called 9-1-1 and asked for an ambulance, but it was too late. Clark County Coroner’s Office officials are working to determine a cause of death.

The Clark County District Attorney's Office has not yet formally charged Edgerton.

Police urge anyone with information regarding the incident to call Metro Homicide at 828-3521, or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.