Brooke Crews Pleads Guilty In Death Of Pregnant Fargo Woman

FARGO, ND — Brooke Crews, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder, and lying to law officers in the death of her pregnant Fargo neighbor Savanna Greywind. Authorities said Crews and her boyfriend, William Hoehn, 32, plotted the killing as a way to keep the baby.

Crews' attorney said she wanted to take responsibility for her actions, but Crews didn't elaborate on how Greywind was killed.

Crews could face life in prison.

While investigators haven't explained how Greywind died, city police Chief Dave Todd said her death was a "cruel and vicious act of depravity."

Greywind was eight months pregnant when she disappeared on Aug. 19. Her body was found eight days later in the Red River, wrapped in plastic and duct tape. Her baby was found alive in the apartment where Crews and Hoehn lived, in Greywind's building.

Crews initially claimed that Greywind gave up her newborn daughter, but she later admitted taking advantage of the woman to get the child, according to court documents. Crews told police she arranged to have Greywind come to her apartment and told her how to induce labor. Greywind came back two days later to give her the newborn baby, Crews said.

But Hoehn told police a different story, according to the documents. He said he came home on Aug. 19 to find Crews cleaning up blood in their bathroom. Hoehn said Crews presented him with an infant girl and said: "This is our baby. This is our family."

Hoehn told police he took garbage bags containing bloody shoes and his bloody towels and disposed them away from the apartment complex, according to the court documents. Hoehn is scheduled for trial in March.

The baby is now in the custody of her father, Ashton Matheny, who was Greywind's boyfriend.

The baby was found alive in the apartment Crews shared with Hoehn. He's scheduled for trial in March. Hoehn has pleaded not guilty.

Photo credit: Cass County Sheriff's Office via AP