Woman Tried Hiring Another Hitman to Kill Ex After Accepting Plea Deal for First Attempt: Prosecutors

Dr. Stephanie Russell was initially charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire back in 2022. Investigators said she contacted someone she believed was a hitman -- but was actually an undercover FBI agent -- to kill her ex, Rick Crabtree.

On April 22, 2024 -- the day her trial was set to begin -- she accepted a plea deal in the case, with sentencing set for later this month. This week, however, the case took another turn, as prosecutors allege Russell continued to seek out someone to kill her ex after pleading guilty.

According to a sentencing document from prosecutors, "The day after Russell entered her guilty plea, the United States was notified that Russell, who is in pre-trial detention, was soliciting other female prisoners in a renewed effort to find someone to murder her ex-husband."

Because of this allegation, the government objects to Russell "receiving any reduction for acceptance of responsibility" when it comes to sentencing.

As evidence, the sentencing doc points to "a letter postmarked April 22, 2024, the date of Russell's guilty plea, sent by another pretrial detainee to her boyfriend at Russell's behest."

"Russell wanted to know if the boyfriend knew anyone who would be willing to kill her ex-husband," said prosecutors. "The letter included the name and address of Russell’s ex-husband, personal identifying information which, to the government’s knowledge, had not been made publicly available either as part of the federal criminal prosecution or the family court litigation."

As the plea agreement provides for a sentence between 97 and 144 months, U.S. prosecutors are now requesting that "the Court impose a a sentence at the high end of that range, or 144 months." Her sentencing is set for July 31; Russell's attorney hasn't commented on the latest update.

According to a criminal complaint from 2022, the first murder-for-hire plot came to light amid an investigation into child abuse allegations Russell levied against her ex-husband amid a bitter custody battle over their two children. The FBI agent assigned to the case wrote that Crabtree told local police in 2019 that his ex "was attempting to hire an assassin to kill him in order to take full custody of their two children."

At the time, Crabtree's attorney provided a sworn affidavit from the one of their children's nannies to police stating "she was approached by Russell on multiple occasions in which Russell alluded to getting rid of Crabtree" -- and asked whether she knew "'really bad people' who could get rid of" Rick. However, at the time, another FBI agent looking into the case was unable to corroborate the allegations against Russell and the investigation was discontinued.

In March 2022, however, local police offered up new information to the FBI about another alleged murder-for-hire plot. Someone who worked at Russell's medical office, Kidz Life Pediatrics, claimed Russell "had allegedly approached several employees ... about helping locate someone to kill her ex-husband," according to the complaint.

When the FBI spoke to the same witness, they said Russell "approached two nurses at the business on separate occasions and asked each of them for assistance in killing Crabtree." The two witnesses -- who worked at Kidz Life -- provided text messages in which Russell discussed hiring someone to deliver "Christmas flowers," which they said was code for killing her ex. The texts allegedly showed Russell agreeing to pay a third party $4,000 for the job. Though a date had been set, one of the witnesses said the person they would have hired "killed himself and could no longer" complete the task at hand -- telling FBI they told her that to attempt to "end the conversations" with Russell.

When that second witness quit the practice, Russell allegedly started asking a third employee for help.

At this point, the FBI had already been tipped off on the case by local police and were speaking with both witnesses. When one of them met with Russell again, they gave her the number of an undercover FBI agent "and identified him as someone who would kill her ex-husband."

Russell agreed to pay half of the payment up front and told the agent she left the money in a lab specimen box outside her office, per the complaint. Though feds didn't see Russell make the drop, the cash was where she said it would be and an arrest warrant was issued and Russell was taken in.

Back in March, additional documents were filed by the defense in her case, including photos of WhatsApp communications between Russell and spiritualists claiming to be proficient in "death spells." Her defense released the messages in an attempt to show how their client's "mental health was severely disturbed" at the time.

The first of the texts were between Russell and someone identified as only "Mama."

"Looking for a death spell. Do you know about Quimbanda? What is your success rate? Your price? Your guarantee?" asked Russell at first, referring to an Afro-Brazilian religion which reportedly uses animal sacrifice.

"Death success rates are 85% ... price depends on the number of people ... 100% guarantee or money back," the woman responded. After being told her services would only be required to get rid of one person, the spiritualist said it would cost $580.

"Do you use sacrifice?" asked Russell, before the spiritualist replied no. The pediatrician then wondered whether she could pay "after success."

"I only work on cash basis. It's strictly death spell. I can't tell you inside details but I will do your job," the woman replied.

Additional messages show Russell reaching out to another person whose handle was "Spiritual Healer," again looking for a death spell. This person said they'd charge $430, needing half before -- promising "100% results in 6 hours."

"Can I please pay after? I cannot afford to pay without results. Please help me. I promise you can trust me," said Russell, who claimed to have "tried everything" before asking whether the spiritualist used Quimbanda or Voodoo. The person said they practiced the latter.

Eventually, they agreed to take only $50 up front, saying Russell would have results by the end of the day and promising "money back" if the spell didn't work. Russell then sent the person a photo of Crabtree, as well as his full name.

A third person contacted by Russell was also asked the same questions about death spells, their success rate, time frame and price.

The pediatrician was told: "What I can see is that he is into black magic and also has some type of protection. Killing him will harm you also. If you wish we can banish him so that he will be away from you and your family ... I will advise you to go for banishing spell only."

She responded by saying, "The only way we will have peace is if he dies. Is there anything you can do to cause the death?"

Per Law&Crime, citing the filing, her lawyers "submitted the text messages to show their client seriously believed her ex-husband was a danger to her children, and that she lacked the mental capacity to be convicted of murder-for-hire."