A man admitted to murdering Kelly Ann (Karl) Stanfill, 36, on Nov. 18 in a Cooper Township field at a plea hearing in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.
Kevin Jacob Stanfill entered a guilty plea to one count of second-degree murder Monday, Oct. 23, according to court records.
Kalamazoo County prosecutors agreed to drop charges of possession of a weapon by a felon and two counts of felony firearms in exchange for the guilty plea to second degree murder. Prosecutors also agreed to recommend a sentence of 26 years in prison when Stanfill is sentenced.
He was scheduled to go to trial Thursday, Oct. 26, for the murder and was charged with open murder, meaning the jury could have found him guilty of first degree murder, which is automatically punished by life in prison with no parole.
At an earlier court proceeding, a police officer said Stanfill’s sister had described her brother and his wife had gotten out of the car they were all riding in a secluded area of AB Avenue in Cooper Township. The couple got out of the vehicle, allegedly to take a walk and vent, when the sister heard five shots and only her brother came back.
Police said Kevin Stanfill had kept his sister quiet with threats to murder her, also, but she eventually went to police and took them to Kelly’s body.
A sentencing hearing is set for Monday, Dec. 4, in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.
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