In the quiet Minneapolis suburb of Crystal, the life of Sandy Sandland, a 53-year-old Caucasian woman, was tragically cut short on July 12, 2017. The events of that evening unfolded after her husband, 56-year-old Dennis John Sandland, made a chilling phone call to their adult children, confessing that he had just shot and killed their mother. This prompted their son to immediately contact 911, expressing concern for his mother and noting that his father had multiple firearms in the home.
Police were dispatched to the couple's residence on Yates Avenue North around 6:30 p.m. Upon their arrival, Dennis Sandland briefly emerged from the house before retreating back inside, initiating a standoff. The West Metro SWAT Team was called to the scene, and after approximately two hours of negotiation, Sandland surrendered to authorities without further incident.
Upon entering the home, officers made a grim discovery. They found Sandra Kay Sandland deceased in her bed from multiple gunshot wounds. A handgun was found lying on the bed next to her. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office later confirmed that she had died from these injuries.
The investigation that followed revealed a history of marital problems between the couple. Family members informed police that there had been a significant amount of fighting in the time leading up to the murder, and they had reason to believe Dennis had been violent with his wife in the past. It was also noted that police had been called to the home for a domestic disturbance once before, in 2010. During his subsequent processing at a local hospital, Dennis Sandland, whose blood-alcohol level was measured at. 094, was overheard by officers stating that he was angry with his wife and had shot her in the head.
Dennis Sandland was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. In December 2018, he pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He is expected to serve approximately 16 and a half years of that sentence, with the remainder to be served on supervised release.
