A 38-year-old man has admitted to killing his 3-month-old daughter 14 years ago in the family's Anoka County home.
Benjamin A. Russell, 38, agreed Thursday to plead guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Suvanna LeeAnn Kreye-Russell, who died in her Coon Rapids crib in January 2009.
The plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense calls for Russell to receive an 11½-year term. With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Russell is expected to serve about 6¾ years in prison and the balance on supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for July 31.
Russell initially told law enforcement he had put her down for a nap and found her facedown on a blanket. At the time, an autopsy determined the cause of death to be "positional asphyxia/suffocation," according to the criminal complaint.
In July 2022, Russell, who currently has two small children, confessed to Suvanna's mom that he put a pillow over the baby's face because she wouldn't stop crying, according to the complaint.
He then left the room to smoke a cigarette, found she was blue when he returned and called 911, the charging document continued.
