South Royalton man pleads guilty to 2018 murder of estranged wife
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. (WCAX) - A South Royalton man accused in the fatal shooting of his estranged wife in 2018 has now pleaded guilty to her murder.
In March of 2018, Wanda Sanville was gunned down in her South Royalton home. Frank Sanville on Wednesday admitted in court that he was the one who pulled the trigger.
Sanville has been in custody since the shooting and originally pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder, but under a deal with prosecutors, has now pleaded guilty to murder in the 2nd degree.
“I just want justice for my sister,” said Todd Hosmer, Wanda’s brother. He witnessed Sanville burst into the South Royalton home with a riffle and shoot his sister in the back of the head. Hosmer’s five-year-old son was also in the home. “He killed more than one person. He killed my son, too. PTSD ain’t going to go away.”
Court papers state Sanville then turned the gun on Hosmer saying, “you’re next.” But Hosmer was able to lunge and fend him off before Sanville ran out of the house. “I have flashbacks -- him coming at me with a gun -- every day. She landed on my son when she dropped dead,” Hosmer said.
Hosmer was in court as Sanville pleaded guilty but was asked to leave the hearing after an emotional outburst. He says Sanville should receive a life sentence. “Pretty horrific ordeal but got to live it,” he said.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. The state can argue that Sanville serve 24 years behind bars.
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