On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Al’Ryon Perkins was sentenced to 653 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for murder in the second degree. That equals a sentence of more than 54 years, per a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson.

According to court documents, on Nov. 25, 2023, Lansing Correctional Facility staff learned of a possible homicide that happened inside the cell Perkins shared with his victim. During the investigation, Perkins told investigators that he used his hands to first strangle his victim before flipping him around and continuing to strangle him with his arm around his neck. Perkins later said he tied a sheet around his victim’s neck and sat on him with a pillow to make sure he was “gone.”

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victim’s family as they continue healing,” Thompson said.