No death penalty for pianist’s wife indicted in kids’ deaths

FORT WORTH, Texas – Prosecutors in Fort Worth won’t seek the death penalty if the 32-year-old estranged wife of an internationally known pianist is convicted of capital murder for the deaths of her two young daughters.

An attorney for Sofya Tsygankova (tsih-GAN’-koh-vah), Joetta Keane, tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/2a1rUtH ) that her client’s family and friends are relieved at Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson’s decision. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor, Samantha Jordan, said Thursday that Wilson made the decision after reviewing the investigation and circumstances of the slayings.

Tsygankova is charged with suffocating 1-year-old Michaela Kholodenko (koh-loh-DEHN’-koh) and 5-year-old Nika Kholodenko March 17 at her home suburban Fort Worth home.

Tsygankova, the estranged wife of pianist Vadym (va-DEEM’) Kholodenko, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She’s jailed on $2 million bond.

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Information from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, http://www.star-telegram.com

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