"What is your success rate? Your price? Guarantee?" reads one text. "Death success rates are 85%," reads the response before later noting there is a money-back guarantee if the spell is unsuccessful.
A Kentucky pediatrician accused of hiring a hitman to murder her ex-husband contacted spiritualists to inquire about death spells, according to her attorney.
Dr. Stephanie Russell, 53, is facing a federal charge of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire after she allegedly offered to pay a hitman $7,000 if he killed her ex-husband, Ricky Crabtree, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
Unbeknownst to Russell, the hitman she allegedly tried to hire for the murder was an undercover agent with the FBI.
Now, one month before her trial is set to begin, Russell's attorneys have introduced new evidence that they say speaks to their client's state of mind at the time she allegedly committed this crime.
Inside Edition Digital obtained documents filed in the case last week that show three conversations Russell allegedly had with spiritualists on WhatsApp.
In all three conversations, the spiritualists are asked if they could put a death spell on Crabtree.
"What is your success rate? Your price? Guarantee?" reads one text.
"Death success rates are 85%," reads the response before later noting there is a money-back guarantee if the spell is unsuccessful.
It does not appear that any of the spiritualists were hired due to Russell's alleged reluctance to provide them with an upfront payment.
Russell did eventually make an upfront payment to the undercover FBI agent she allegedly hired to murder Crabtree, according to the complaint.
Authorities learned about Russell's alleged plot after an employee at the doctor's practice told agents that Russell had asked her about finding a hitman, according to the complaint.
Agents arrested Russell after she allegedly left $3,500 for the agent in a bin outside her medical practice, according to the complaint.
She allegedly wanted Crabtree dead after he received custody of the couple's two children following their divorce.
Her attorneys filed these latest texts in hopes of convincing the judge to allow a medical expert to speak to Russell's state of mind at the time she allegedly hired the hitman.
Federal prosecutors filed a motion opposing this testimony in the case, which is set to begin April 22.
Russell, who has entered a plea of not guilty, faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
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