Woman pleads guilty to role in 2008 ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ rest stop shooting death

A month after a jury deadlocked, a 42-year-old woman on Monday admitted to her role in the 2008 robbery and shooting death of a truck driver at a rest area just north of Camden Point on Interstate 29.

Dana K. Tutor pleaded guilty in Platte County Circuit Court to second-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the Sept. 8, 2008 slaying of Valentin Kirilchuk, 39.

The robbery and fatal shooting were part of a crime spree by Tutor and her boyfriend, John Hughes. During the spree, the two talked about getting “Bonnie and Clyde” tattoos as a tribute to the notorious outlaws, said Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd.

Hughes pleaded guilty in 2010 to first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action in the shooting.

“This defendant wanted to be like Bonnie and Clyde, and she was. Just like Bonnie and Clyde, she and her boyfriend John Hughes are robbers and murderers,” Zahnd said.

On April 20, a Platte County judge declared a mistrial when jurors said they were “hopelessly deadlocked” in Tutor’s case.

“We are pleased to finally deliver justice for the family of Valentin Kirilchuk. There is no doubt he would be alive today if the defendant had not lured him to his death,” Zahnd said in a written statement.

At one point, Zahnd had considered seeking the death penalty in Hughes’ case.

Zahnd said Kirilchuk was parked at the rest area on I-29 north at mile marker 27 near Dearborn when Tutor went to the cab of Kirilchuk’s truck and told him she needed $100.

Kirilchuk, an immigrant from Ukraine, followed Tutor into the rest area’s main building. As Kirilchuk entered the building, Hughes was nearby, pretending to talk on a pay phone. He allegedly pushed Kirilchuk into the men’s restroom at gunpoint.

As the two men struggled, Hughes shot Kirilchuk in the head with a 9mm handgun.

Hughes later was arrested in York County, Neb. Authorities there found a 9mm handgun. DNA found on it was consistent with Kirilchuk’s DNA.

Tutor’s fingerprints were found on the window of Kirilchuk’s truck. She was also a potential contributor to DNA that was recovered from the passenger side mirror of Kirilchuk’s truck and the murder weapon, Zahnd said.

Hughes shot Kirilchuk days after he fatally stabbed a man in Ohio. Hughes is serving a life sentence in that slaying.

Under the plea agreement, Tutor faces up to 20 years in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced July 27.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Woman pleads guilty to role in 2008 ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ rest stop shooting death."