A 57-year-old man has admitted to fatally shooting his wife in the head last summer in their Crystal home.

Dennis Sandland, 57, pleaded guilty Friday in Hennepin County District Court to second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the death of his 53-year-old wife, Sandra Kay Sandland.

Sandland remains jailed ahead of sentencing scheduled for Jan. 2. As part of the plea deal, which includes dismissal of a first-degree murder count, he is expected to receive a 25-year prison sentence.

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, he will serve roughly the first 16½ years in prison and the balance on supervised release.

According to the criminal complaint and his guilty plea:

Dennis Sandland made calls to his adult son and daughter sometime after 6 p.m. on July 12 and said he shot his wife.

Police went to the couple's house in the 4800 block of Yates Avenue N. and Sandland, armed with a shotgun, surrendered a few hours later outside the home, where SWAT personnel had gathered. Police found Sandra Sandland lying dead in her bed, shot in the head.

Sandland reportedly said several times that evening that he was angry with his wife and shot her. Police were told by family members that the couple had been fighting in recent weeks.

Police records show one previous domestic call to the home on Jan. 2, 2010.

Dennis Sandland's criminal history in Minnesota includes convictions for soliciting a minor for sex in 1993 and drunken driving in 2006.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482