Louisville, KY – In a shocking turn of events, 53-year-old Stephanie M. Russell, a pediatrician and owner of KidzLife Pediatrics in Norton Commons, Louisville, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of murder-for-hire and aiding and abetting interstate stalking.
According to court records, Russell began soliciting multiple KidzLife employees in July 2021, asking if they knew someone who would be willing to kill her former husband, R.C., during a contentious custody battle. The FBI was notified of Russell’s solicitations in the spring of 2022 and launched an investigation, during which a cooperating witness provided Russell with the telephone number of a purported hitman from the Chicago area. That hitman was an FBI Special Agent working undercover.
Beginning on May 15, 2022, Russell had several recorded telephone conversations with the purported hitman, in which she agreed to pay $7,000 for the hit, with half due up front. On May 18, 2022, Russell was caught on surveillance video leaving $3,500 in a specimen box outside the KidzLife building for the hitman to retrieve. The purported hitman drove to Louisville from Illinois and was videotaped as he picked up the payment. The FBI arrested Russell the next day.
Further, court documents and evidence presented at the change of plea hearing revealed that between December 1, 2018, and August 9, 2019, during custody litigation, Russell aided and abetted by J.S., a person who traveled to Louisville from Michigan, engaged in conduct that caused and attempted to cause her former husband substantial emotional distress. Russell provided J.S. with a burner phone to use while harassing R.C., who was subjected to unannounced visits to his office, accusatory voicemails, and the distribution of defamatory fliers.
Russell’s actions were part of a larger scheme to intimidate and harass her ex-husband, with the goal of gaining the upper hand in their custody battle. The FBI’s investigation and subsequent arrest have brought an end to Russell’s reign of terror.
Russell is scheduled for sentencing on July 31, 2024, and faces up to 20 years in prison for her crimes. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of using violence and intimidation to achieve one’s goals, and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
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Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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