A Chattanooga man who allegedly claimed the devil made him kill his estranged girlfriend pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday.
Sean Ryan Little, 38, facing one count of first-degree murder in the December stabbing death of Sara Ferguson, with whom he had a relationship, appeared before Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman.
Little, who is being held at the Hamilton County Jail on a $1 million bond, is being represented by Matthew Rogers. Little is also facing three counts of aggravated assault stemming from the incident.
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Shortly before 5 p.m. on Dec. 7, deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office responded to 7800 Safari Drive and met with Ferguson's son, 21-year-old Ralphy Santiago, who was named as a witness in a sworn affidavit.
Santiago told authorities he witnessed Little on top of his mother's blood-soaked body with a knife in his hand, according to the affidavit. Santiago said he screamed at Little, to which Little responded, "The devil made me do it" before running down the stairs and outside the home.
Santiago's younger siblings, two boys aged 7 and 3, were inside the home during the incident, according to Santiago's testimony during Little's preliminary hearing in January.
Santiago also testified he had heard Ferguson and Little arguing but said they had calmed down and began "play fighting" before the incident.
At the preliminary hearing, Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom -- who had granted Ferguson an order of protection against Little in April of last year -- said Little not only violated that order by not staying away from Ferguson but also "by murdering her." Statom sent the case to the grand jury.
Ferguson, who was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics, was found lying on her back in an upstairs bedroom with stab wounds to her face, chest and back, according to the affidavit from the Sheriff's Office. Deputies found a knife near her body, according to the affidavit.
Little was found in a wooded area behind the home he once shared with Ferguson and her sons and was taken into custody.
Little, who was indicted July 18, is scheduled to appear before Steelman on Oct. 4.
Contact La Shawn Pagán at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.