Melissa Todorovic Sentenced to Life for Murder of Stefanie Rengel

by Tina Kells | August 10, 2009 at 09:15 am

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Melissa Todorovic, 17, was sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no parole for seven years for her role in the 2008 murder of Stefanie Rengel. Melissa Todorovic planned and orchestrated the stabbing of Stefanie Rengel, 14, by manipulating her boyfriend into commiting murder.

Identified only as DB, Todorovic's boyfriend pled guilty to first-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing. The prosecution is also seeking an adult sentence in that case.

Stefanie Rengel was stabbed to death on New Year's Day 2008. She was left to die on a snowbank near her home after Todorovic had pressured her boyfriend to commit the murder. While Todorovic did not actually do the killing the prosecution argued that she had precipitated the events.

Melissa Todorovic and Stefanie Rengel did not know each other and never even met, but Todorovic was racked with jealousy thinking that DB was attracted to her. She manipulated DB by withholding sex and bombarding him with emails and text messages telling him he must kill Stefanie Rengel.

While lawyers for the defense feel that the sentencing of Melissa Todorovic was fair since she did not actually murder Stefanie Rengel, the prosecution and Rengel's family were disappointed. DB would have been unlikely to kill Stefanie Rengel had it not been for the manipulation and coersion of Melissa Todorovic and the prosecution felt her sentence should have been more severe.

Justice Ian Nordheimer said the central question he had to deal in making his decision was whether a youth sentence would be sufficient length to hold Todorovic accountable for repeatedly pressuring her boyfriend to kill Rengel.

Nordheimer said Todorovic has a character flaw that is frightening and that a youth sentence would fail to adequately protect the community.

Defence lawyer Marshall Sack had argued that a youth sentence was appropriate since Todorovic hadn't actually done the stabbing.

But Nordheimer rejected the argument saying "the puppetmaster is not less blameworthy than the puppet."

The judge said the girl had all the advantages of hardworking, loving parents, yet engaged in a murder he called "malevolent and shocking."