Woman dubbed ‘black widow’ dies in California prison

A lady who prosecutors dubbed a “black widow” as a result of she had her husband killed died of pure causes whereas serving a life sentence, authorities mentioned Friday.

Susan Russo, who was convicted of first-degree homicide and conspiracy within the 1994 slaying of 43-year-old David Russo, died Thursday, the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation mentioned.

Russo, 67, was serving her sentence on the Central California Girls’s Facility jail in Madera County. She had been receiving medical remedy at a neighborhood medical facility since Aug. 16, the division mentioned. It didn’t say what Russo was being handled for.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Workplace will decide her explanation for loss of life, it mentioned.

Russo organized to pay her boyfriend $100 to kill her husband, who was a U.S. Navy chief petty officer serving at Lemoore Naval Air Station south of Fresno, so she may acquire advantages as his surviving partner, together with an almost $1 million insurance coverage coverage, authorities mentioned.

She let the boyfriend and an confederate into her dwelling, the place they shot her husband and disposed of his physique, they mentioned.

In 2017, then Gov. Jerry Brown commuted her sentence, saying there was proof that Russo was incessantly bodily abused by her husband, and she or he mentioned she was closely utilizing methamphetamine, together with together with her husband.

The next 12 months a parole board beneficial that she be freed however Brown blocked her launch after deciding she was nonetheless a public security danger.