David Ragsdale pleads guilty to killing his wife
ASHLEY FRANSCELL/Daily Herald Prosecuting attorney, David Sturgill, talks to the media after a hearing for David Ragsdale Wednesday, November 26, 2008 in the Fourth District Court in Provo. Ragsdale pleaded guilty to aggravated murder for killing his wife in January 2008 outside of a church building in Lehi.
David Ragsdale pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated murder in the shooting death of his wife, Kristy.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Ragsdale will likely be sentenced to a term of 20 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He will be sentenced Jan. 29.
“That’s what I will order at the time of sentencing,” said Judge Claudia Laycock.
Ragsdale was charged with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child for the Jan. 6 shooting in a church parking lot. As part of the agreement, the charges of domestic violence were dropped.
Ragsdale was visibly emotional as he answered questions from the judge about any mental illness or drugs that may have impaired his ability to enter a plea. Defense attorney Dusty Kawai told the judge that extensive measures have been taken to inform Ragsdale of his right to a fair trial and apprise him of the process.
Kawai said defense attorney Ron Yengich was called to discuss the plea agreement with Ragsdale, and former board of pardons member Don Blanchard was brought in to discuss what Ragsdale may face in prison. Laycock reminded Ragsdale that despite anything he may have been told by consulting parties, the board of pardons will have the ultimate say in whether he is paroled in the future.
“There is a possibility of parole, but there is no guarantee,” she said. “Do you understand that?”
Prosecutor David Sturgill said he spoke with Kristy’s family, the Palizzis, about the possibility that Ragsdale may be freed on parole someday. However, he said he does not think the board of pardons is likely to let him out of prison.
“We’re confident when the board of pardons looks at this case they’re going to lean heavily to the life side,” he said.
Sturgill said his conversations with the victim’s family made it easier to offer the plea agreement. Kristy’s mother, Ann Palizzi, talked with her family about the agreement and they were comfortable with the decision.
“Based on what she shared with us, we’re confident that this is what Kristy would have wanted,” he said.
The plea agreement took the death penalty off the table in the case. Sturgill did not say whether prosecutors would have sought the death penalty, but he said they were ready to make the decision Wednesday. He said prosecutors were happy with the aggravated murder plea and the sentence that will likely be imposed.
“We knew that we wanted an aggravated murder conviction,” he said. “That was our goal, and we got it.”
Lehi police Detective Mark Birch, the lead detective in the case, said he was happy with the resolution. The situation is difficult for everyone involved.
“My heart goes out to both the Palizzis and the Ragsdales,” he said. “It’s a tragedy all the way around.”
Birch said the 4-year-old and 6-year-old boys who witnessed the shooting will always be affected by the tragedy as well. They will be scarred emotionally by the incident, but their loving family will be a big benefit for them in the healing process.
“The benefit that they have is that they have great parents,” he said.
Kawai told reporters that he and other public defenders have been working with Ragsdale for five months and have been working for some time toward a resolution. The breaking point for Ragsdale was in a meeting about three months ago, when he decided he wanted to resolve the case.
“He was just uncontrollably sobbing,” Kawai said.
Kawai said Ragsdale wanted very much for the public to know his sincere sorrow for what he did and the remorse he feels. Ragsdale knows there is nothing he can do to change what took place in January.
“At this point, right now, he’s just wracked with the pains of his decisions,” he said.
Kawai said he does not know why Ragsdale shot and killed his wife. There is no excuse or explanation for the crime, and a much-talked-about prescription medication defense Ragsdale’s family had discussed was not an excuse for what happened.
“I think it’s probably natural for family members to go, ‘How did this happen? Why did this happen?’ ” he said.
Ragsdale asked his defense attorneys to address the media after the hearing. Kawai said Ragsdale wanted people to know he was not making any excuse for his crime.
“Please let them know how sorry I am,” Ragsdale told attorneys.
