LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It's been over a year since an East End pediatrician was arrested for reportedly hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, and on Thursday, lawyers released new documents in the case.
Lawyers for Dr. Stephanie Russell revealed she allegedly wanted to put a "death spell" on her ex-husband, Rick Crabtree.
Russell is accused of trying to pay a hitman $7,000 to kill her ex-husband in 2022.
She used the code word "christmas flowers" to refer to the hit according to court documents.
However, the hitman turned out to be an FBI agent investigators said.
New documents showed Russell wanted to put the death spell on Crabtree after he was awarded full custody of their two children. She was granted supervised visitation a couple days a week.
She claimed he was "abusing her children" in 2019. In an affidavit released in 2022, the detective assigned to the case did not find any evidence of child abuse according to the documents.
Russell had messaged a woman who had described herself as a spiritual healer on Whatsapp, asking for help to kill the man using supernatural means, according to documents.
The healer said her spells have an 85% death rate, and it could work within five hours documents show.
Russell's defense team filed these documents to show her state of mind.
She's charged with the use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder-for-hire according to court documents.
Her trial is now scheduled to start on April 22.
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