Ragsdale pleads guilty to murder

PROVO — A man who shot and killed his wife in a Lehi church parking lot on her birthday faces a potential life sentence in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated murder Wednesday.

Wearing a dark-blue inmate uniform, David Ragsdale, 36, stood in 4th District Court with his head slumped slightly forward. He spoke only when Judge Claudia Laycock asked him questions, and when he pleaded guilty to one first-degree felony of aggravated murder for shooting his wife, Kristy Ragsdale, on Jan. 6. He faces a sentence of 20 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole, but no guarantee, Laycock emphasized.

In a written statement, David Ragsdale's mother, Judy, said it's impossible to overstate the grief her son has expressed about "the terrible act he committed" when he has spoken with family members.

"He will have to bear that pain forever," she wrote. "We have to live with it."

David Ragsdale's guilty plea was part of a deal between his attorneys and prosecutors. Originally, he faced charges of aggravated murder and two third-degree felonies of domestic violence in the presence of a child, because children were present when he shot Kristy Ragsdale numerous times in the parking lot of a meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also faced the possibility of the death penalty.

Prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty and to dismiss the third-degree felonies in exchange for David Ragsdale's guilty plea. Prosecutor David Sturgill said they're happy with the plea.

"We're confident this is what Kristy would have wanted," he said.

While David Ragsdale may see the possibility of parole after serving 20 years, Sturgill said he expects Ragsdale will have a "lengthy prison stay." He also said members of the victim's family are content with the plea.

Defense attorney Dusty Kawai said David Ragsdale feels sincere sorrow for what he has done.

"He knows there's nothing he can do in this life to change what he did," Kawai said. "He understands he took something that cannot be replaced."

David Ragsdale is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 29, 2009.

Prior to the shooting, Kristy and David Ragsdale agreed to a "mutual restraining order" in a divorce action.