Russell sentenced to life in prison

McLeod: 'You took us all on the world's most horrific rollercoaster'

These words reverberated across the courtroom as Amber McLeod confronted her mother-in-law's killer on Monday at the Webster County Courthouse.

"You are the lowest piece of scum that this world has to offer," she said.

Mark David Russell, 31, of Fort Dodge, was convicted in February by a Cerro Gordo County jury for the first-degree murder of 45-year-old Angela McLeod. The jury found that, beyond a reasonable doubt, Russell used a golf club to beat the victim to death in a Fort Dodge home on Jan. 20, 2020.

McLeod's family waited three years -- full of delays, competency evaluations, one mistrial and a change of venue -- to see justice. On Monday, Angela McLeod's family finally had the opportunity to confront the defendant in open court during Russell's sentencing hearing.

"My family is grateful for all of this to finally be done and over with," Amber McLeod said in her victim impact statement. "You took us all on the world's most horrific rollercoaster of our lives, all because you weren't man enough to face the facts of what you did."

While Russell had the "luxury" of sitting in jail awaiting trial, she said, her family spent three years waiting anxiously for a verdict "we all knew was coming."

"I hope every day that you spend locked away goes as slow as possible," she said. "I hope that every day you're in there, you start to go crazy more and more every day."

Shey Kuchenreuther, with the Domestic/Sexual Assault Outreach Center's Homicide and Other Violent Crimes Program, read a second victim impact statement for the victim's daughter, Melissa McKinley.

"How can you take a loved one away that's so special?" McKinley wrote. "And one that was a family foundation to the centerpiece of us and someone that accepted you into the family, and a grandma of three beautiful grandchildren that had a heart of gold?"

At sentencing, District Court Judge Angela Doyle did not have any leeway on Russell's term of incarceration -- first-degree murder has a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole -- but she did take some time to address Russell as well as Angela McLeod's family in the courtroom.

"I sat through the trial of this case; I know it was so horribly tragic and it was heartbreaking for everyone here today, everybody who loved Angela McLeod and everyone whose lives she touched," Doyle said. "She was a mother, she was a grandmother, and this event has had life-changing consequences, not only for you, Mr. Russell, but more importantly for Angela McLeod's family. It was a long road getting to trial, the final verdict and sentencing today, and I only hope that today provides some closure to all those who are involved."

Russell was given the opportunity to speak on his own behalf, but declined. Instead, his attorney, Wendy Samuelson, spoke for him.

"Despite anything that was argued at trial, certainly Mr. Russell feels remorse and regret for the actions that took place that led to the death of Angela McLeod," she said.

First Assistant Webster County Attorney Ryan Baldridge said his office is satisfied with the outcome of this case.

"Today's order that the defendant spend the rest of his life in prison has been a long time coming for Ms. McLeod's family," Baldridge said. "They have exhibited a great deal of patience with our judicial system and confidence in our office in getting to this point and for that, I am grateful."

Russell was arrested and charged with first-degree murder on Jan. 20, 2020, after law enforcement were called to 21 N. 14th St. for the second time that day in response to a domestic disturbance between the defendant and Angela McLeod. The apartment was the home of McLeod's daughter, McKinley, who had been in a relationship with Russell. McLeod had also been staying at her daughter's apartment at the time of her death.

When officers arrived, they found Angela McLeod bloody and beaten on the floor of the apartment's bedroom. Russell had beaten McLeod so viciously that the head of the golf club had detached from the shaft, investigators reported.

At trial, which had been moved to Cerro Gordo County due to pretrial publicity, Russell claimed he was using self-defense when he assaulted Angela McLeod and that McLeod had actually been the aggressor. The jury did not agree and took just over two hours to convict Russell of first-degree murder.

"Justice isn't alway speedy, but through this process, I am confident that a fair and just outcome was achieved," Baldridge said on Monday. "I hope this outcome brings some closure to Angela's children, family and friends."