A Gloucester man pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter this week in connection to the May 5 death of Eli Joseph Hirschberg, 29, of Gloucester.

Bryce Hunter Edwards, 21, of Gloucester pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge Tuesday in Gloucester Circuit Court and his plea was accepted by Judge Jeffrey W. Shaw. Edwards was initially charged with second degree murder in Hirschberg’s death but was indicted on voluntary manslaughter.

Gloucester Commonwealth’s Attorney John T. Dusewicz said evidence would have shown first responders answered a 911 call to 3871 Stream Drive in Gloucester on May 5. There they found Hirschberg bleeding from a wound to the abdomen.

Dusewicz said Edwards had seen texts between Hirschberg and Edwards’s girlfriend, and when Edwards arrived home from work on May 5 Hirschberg’s vehicle was there. He said Edwards grabbed a baseball bat as he entered the residence.

Once inside, Edwards saw Hirschberg straddling his girlfriend on a sofa and struck Hirs...