Ryan Jazdzewski Sentenced To 36 Years, 8 Months In Prison For Stabbing Wife To Death
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Duluth man was sentenced to 36 years and 8 months in prison for second degree murder after he pleaded guilty to stabbing his wife to death during an argument while their children were in the home.
Police say Ryan Jazdzewski murdered his wife Nicole on June 2, 2019.
According to a criminal complaint, police officers were called to their Chester Park home in Duluth after reports of a "child screaming in the alley."
Police found Ryan with blood on his hands and clothes. He told investigators he had a "horrible fight" with his wife and that he "lost it." According to the Duluth News Tribune, Nicole Jazdzewski had wanted a divorce.
Police found her inside the home with several stab wounds. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The sentencing marks a substantial upward departure from Minnesota sentencing guidelines, because of the presence of their three child during the murder and the particular cruelty of the act, the attorney's office said.
According to a release, "the defendant agreed that the number of injuries he inflicted met the definition of particular cruelty, a separate aggravating factor under the guidelines."
The family of Nicole Jazdzewski released a statement following the sentencing:
We hope Nikki's death will bring awareness for others living and coping with domestic abuse in their lives. How it can be hidden from sight, due to the manipulative nature of the people who are abusers, and how deadly it can turn when the abuser thinks they have lost control of the victim. Our Nikki will never be forgotten. She will always be with us. Our family is committed to helping the children heal. As they mature and become independent individuals, our family will be right there to help. Our main focus now is to support the children and provide some semblance of normalcy for them, for that reason, we ask that our request for privacy is respected. There are not enough words to fully express our heartfelt thanks for the sympathy, love, and support that our family has received during this time.