An American woman, Kimberlee Singler, is currently facing extradition to the United States from the United Kingdom, following accusations of murdering her two youngest children in Colorado last December. The prosecution alleges that Singler told her surviving 11-year-old daughter that she was compelled by God to commit the act. Prosecutor Joel Smith revealed that the child pleaded for her life as Singler stabbed her twice.
Singler, who is contesting the extradition in Westminster Magistrates’ Court, denies the allegations. Her defense attorney, Edward Fitzgerald, expressed concerns that the surviving daughter’s statement to the police may have been coerced. Fitzgerald also argued against Singler’s extradition, citing that a potential life sentence without parole, if convicted of first-degree murder in Colorado, would contravene European human rights law.
The 36-year-old Singler is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting and stabbing of her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. She also faces one count of attempted murder for injuring her older daughter. Additional charges have been levied due to the victims being under the age of 12, and an extra count of assault.
Fitzgerald, who previously represented Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in his extradition case, argued that a life sentence without parole would be inhumane as it offers no chance of release, even if the convict is rehabilitated. He further stated that despite the possibility of sentence commutation by a Colorado governor, it would be politically detrimental, as it has never been done before.
However, Smith countered Fitzgerald’s argument by presenting evidence that former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper had commuted first-degree murder sentences of six men in 2018. The hearing was then adjourned until Dec. 2 to allow lawyers to verify this information and prepare further arguments.
The prosecution also revealed that at the time of the killings, Singler was embroiled in a custody dispute with her ex-husband, Kevin Wentz. He had been granted more time with the children, and Singler had been ordered to hand them over to him for a period in December, which she failed to do.
On Dec. 19, Singler made an emergency call to Colorado Springs police. Officers discovered the two youngest children, Aden Wentz, 7, and Elianna “Ellie” Wentz, 9, dead in their apartment. They had been shot and stabbed. Singler’s older daughter, identified only by her initials, M.W., was seriously injured. Singler, who had superficial knife wounds, was initially considered a victim in what was reported as a burglary.
After recovering from her injuries and moving to a foster home, M.W. told a caretaker that her mother was responsible for the attack and had instructed her to lie to the police. DNA tests on the weapons found a mixture of blood matching the children and their mother. An empty bottle of sleeping pills was also discovered in the house. Singler fled to London after her daughter changed her story, but was apprehended four days later.