Sandland pleads guilty to killing his wife

A Crystal man pleaded guilty to killing his wife in their home last year, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.

Dennis Sandland, 57, pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to second-degree unintentional murder. He also admitted to two aggravating factors; that his 53-year-old wife Sandra Kay Sandland, was particularly vulnerable and she suffered particular cruelty.

Sentencing was set for Jan. 2 and as part of the negotiated settlement, Sandland is expected to receive more than 25 years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint and his guilty plea, Sandland separately called an adult son and daughter sometime after 6 p.m. on July 12, 2017 to say he shot his wife. Police went to the couple’s house at 4826 Yates Ave. N. in Crystal and after a short time, persuaded Sandland to surrender. After he was arrested, police entered the home and found Sandra Sandland lying dead in her bed with a gunshot wound to the head.

Numerous times that evening, without being asked, Sandland said that he was angry with his wife and shot her. Family members told police the couple had been fighting a lot in the weeks before the murder.