Alaska – In a tragic and disturbing case from Alaska, a 30-year-old mother, identified as S. Bilecki, has been sentenced to a substantial prison term for the calculated murder of her 4-and-13 month-old daughters in separate incidents that took place two years apart. Bilecki will serve 45 years in state prison following her plea agreement with prosecutors.
The legal saga concluded on a somber note as Bilecki received a 130-year sentence, with 85 years suspended, for her heinous acts against her own children. This sentencing comes after Bilecki’s guilty plea to two counts of second-degree murder. The decision was made in exchange for the dismissal of two additional charges of second-degree murder and two charges of first-degree murder. In detailing the sentencing, Assistant District Attorney E. Crail emphasized the severity of the crimes, noting the mandatory minimum sentences are particularly stringent due to the victims being Bilecki’s own children. The chilling nature of these crimes was compounded by the method and premeditation involved, which included internet searches by Bilecki for ways to commit murder undetected.
The first tragic death occurred in September 2015 when Bilecki’s 4-month-old daughter, identified as Chyanne, died under circumstances originally presumed to be sudden infant death syndrome. However, it was later revealed through investigation that the infant had died from injuries consistent with strangulation. In a hauntingly similar pattern, November 2017 marked the death of Bilecki’s second daughter, 13-month-old Jasmine, while her husband was deployed. Before calling 911, Bilecki had attempted to reach her husband and then called her in-laws, mirroring the sequence of events from her first daughter’s death. It was revealed that prior to Jasmine’s death, Bilecki had made numerous online searches on her cellphone, looking up phrases such as “ways to suffocate,” “ways to kill a human with no proof,” and other incriminating queries. Jasmine’s autopsy later indicated that she died from a lack of oxygen, consistent with suffocation.
These alarming parallels led authorities to reopen the investigation into Chyanne’s earlier death, and by August 2018, Bilecki was indicted by a grand jury. This indictment was the culmination of investigative efforts that painted a grim picture of a mother who methodically planned and executed the murders of her children. The community and the authorities alike struggled to comprehend the depth of malice involved. Police Chief E. Jewkes reflected on the nature of the crimes, emphasizing the isolation of the events and the sheer evil required to commit such acts against one’s own children.
Throughout the legal proceedings, the profound impact on the community and the victims’ family members was palpable. Bilecki’s sentencing was part of a broader attempt to bring some measure of justice and closure to a case that District Attorney J. Dallaire described as one that “shocks the conscience.” As Bilecki serves her sentence, she will be barred from any unsupervised contact with minors under 16 in non-public settings upon any potential release, which will not be considered until she has served the majority of her 45 active years in prison. This case leaves a permanent mark on the Fairbanks community, serving as a tragic reminder of the vulnerabilities of the youngest and most innocent.
