LONDON, UK — A Colorado mom accused of killing two of her children and wounding a third will remain in custody in the United Kingdom through at least January, when a judge is expected to deliver a ruling on her extradition.
On Monday, Kimberlee Singler appeared in-person in London to finish an extradition hearing that was postponed in September. She is accused of killing two of her children, 7-year-old Aden Wentz and 9-year-old Elianna "Ellie" Wentz, at a Colorado Springs apartment on Dec. 18, 2023.
Singler is charged with:
- Two counts of first-degree murder
- One count of attempted murder
- Three counts of child abuse
- One count of assault
Dec. 18 is the day investigators believe she killed Aden and Ellie. Singler's other daughter was wounded, but survived.
According to Colorado Springs Police, Singler reported a burglary in the early morning hours of Dec. 19, but investigators determined the burglary report was "unfounded."
A warrant was issued for her arrest on Dec. 26 and she was arrested in the United Kingdom on Dec. 30.
The extradition hearing for Singler in the UK began in September, but was postponed amid new evidence and questions about whether her extradition would violate UK extradition law. She is represented by Edward Fitzgerald of King's Council – the same attorney who represented Julian Assange in his battle to avoid extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States.
The United Kingdom doesn't grant extradition where the death penalty is on the table. There is also discretion to consider where a punishment is "grossly disproportionate." If she were convicted of first-degree murder in Colorado, Singler would face life in prison without parole.
Monday, testimony in court focused on whether it's realistic that Singler could be granted parole or have her sentence commuted if she were convicted.
Fitzgerald argued there's no realistic possibility of release.
“If you’re not in one of these fortunate categories of young adult, you’re not even going to get to the stage of looking at rehabilitation," Fitzgerald said.
Joel Smith of the King's Council, who is representing the United States government, argued the only thing that's relevant is whether a mechanism of release exists in the U.S. court system, not how likely it is to be used. He said one does.
“There is a mechanism of sentence review. It does allow the governor to consider progress towards rehabilitation," Smith said. “Prospects of release? That’s not your concern.”
A decision on extradition is expected to be handed down on Jan. 24.
In September, Smith relayed testimony from Singler's child. He said the child initially told police a man who came through the door of their property was responsible for the attack.
On Christmas Day, her story changed, and she said her mother was responsible. According to testimony from the September hearing, the child said that Singler told her two younger children to close their eyes as she guided them toward the bedroom. The child explained that she was also guided to a bedroom but survived.
According to Smith, the "defendant told [the children] God was telling her to do it or their father was going to take them away.”
The couple had been involved in a yearslong, often contentious, battle for custody of their children. Documents obtained by 9NEWS show that a day before the attack, a judge granted an emergency motion that ordered Singler to turn the children over to their father.
Autopsy reports indicate that both children were shot in the head. Aden died from a gunshot wound and Ellie died from a gunshot and cuts. Both also had "potentially lethal" or "lethal" levels of doxylamine in their blood. The drug is commonly found in sleep aids and allergy medicines.
This article includes reporting from Janet Oravetz and from NBC News.