Louisville doctor who tried to have ex-husband killed sentenced to maximum 12 years in prison

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – A former Norton Commons doctor who pleaded guilty in April to trying to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband was sentenced by a federal court judge Wednesday to the maximum 12 years in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge David Hale said while Stephanie Russell may have been a dedicated, caring physician, she also committed “devious, hateful and potentially lethal” crimes.

After her guilty plea on April 22, Russell was facing a proposed sentence between 97 months and 144 months.

Her defense attorneys asked for a sentence of 120 months to 130 months, arguing that she was much beloved in the community but mental illness convinced her that her ex-husband was harming their children.

“It’s what drove her crazy,” defense attorney Scott C. Cox told the judge.

The U.S. District Attorney's office said Russell was deemed mentally competent to stand trial and they learned the day after the guilty plea that she was still trying to have her ex-husband, Rick Crabtree, killed.

The evidence, according to prosecutors, includes a letter postmarked April 22, 2024, the day of her 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," according to the memorandum. The letter included the name and address of Russell's ex-husband and personal identifying information.

And an FBI agent testified Thursday that Russell asked three inmates in the Oldham County jail if they knew anyone who could kill her ex-husband, offering one $10,000.

But Hale said he did not even need to consider Russell’s post-plea actions in giving her the maximum sentence. He called her crimes "brazen" and also ordered her to three years of supervised probation when she is released and to pay a $10,000 fine.

Hale could not impose a stricter sentence without the plea agreement being withdrawn.

Despite the alleged actions after Russell pleaded guilty, the government was not allowed by law to withdraw the plea agreement. It is unclear if Russell will be charged again for allegedly trying to kill Crabtree again.

In a short statement, Crabtree told the judge how tough the last six years have been for him and his children, saying Russell tried to destroy his business, repeatedly filed emergency protective orders alleging he was abusing his children and “hurt me in any way she could.”

“I know today is not the end of it,” Crabtree told the judge. “As we have seen, she is not going to stop.”

Russell, 53, declined to make a statement during her sentencing.

Russell was convicted of contacting an undercover FBI agent, who was posing as a hitman, and agreeing to pay $7,000 to the agent in exchange for murdering her ex-husband. Russell left a partial payment of $3,500 outside her medical office in a drop box and agreed to pay the other half after her ex-husband was killed. She was also convicted of stalking.

Authorities found more than $2,000 in her home that was supposed to be used to pay a hit man.

The state will keep $5,000 as part of the guilty plea.

Russell's defense attorneys had claimed she was "delusional" and acting under "extreme emotional disturbance" in fear of her children's safety at the time of the crime. Russell and her ex-husband had been in a custody battle.

As proof, they included text messages she sent a Brazilian "spiritual healer" saying she was "looking for a death spell" for her ex-husband, asking how much it would cost and whether a sacrifice would be used.

The unnamed woman responded the price rate would depend on the number of people involved but that she had an 85% death rate and it could be done within hours using Voodoo. The woman also promised a 100% guarantee or Russell's money would be returned, according to the messages sent on April 22, 2022.

When asked by Russell what kind of spell would be used, the healer replied, "it's a death spell my dear not a love spell," according to the records filed in U.S. District Court last month. "I can't tell you inside details, but I will do your job."

Russell asked multiple employees where she worked if they knew someone who would kill her ex-husband, according to her guilty plea. The FBI was notified and Russell was recorded several times in phone conversations with a purported hitman who was actually with the FBI.

"I want him completely gone from my life," she said, according to the guilty plea. "I mean, do you like, do they disappear? Do you like shoot them on the road. Like what happens? Or should I just not know."

The stalking charge was related to Russell using another person to pose as a WAVE 3 reporter and going to her ex-husband's office, leaving him accusatory voicemails and putting notes in his garage pretending to be "writing a derogatory story" about him.

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