East Providence Woman's Killer Pleads Guilty: AG

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — Christine Santurri's murderer has been sentenced to life in prison, Atty. Gen. Peter Kilmartin said Wednesday. Yuland Stanfield, who used the alias Yuland Stansfield, 45, of Providence, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death on May 10, 2015. Santurri, of East Providence, was 42 when she died.

Stanfield was charged with one count of first degree murder, domestic, and two counts of violating a restraining order, third offense domestic. Under the terms of the plea, he was sentenced to life in prison on the count of murder and 10 years each on the counts of violating a restraining order, to run concurrent.

According to KIlmartin's office, Stanfield texted the victim that morning, despite the fact he was under a restraining order. Some of the texts were threatening. Also that morning, he took a RIPTA bus from Providence to East Providence and waited in the apartment complex where she lived. When she came home from a visit with her mother, Ms. Santurri was attacked by Stanfield. He forced her inside her apartment and stabbed her multiple times in the head and torso.

Then he fled. Police found him later in the water at Bullocks Cove.

“Mother’s Day is a day for families to celebrate, thank and treasure moms like Christine Santurri, a mother of three loving children," Kilmartin said. "Tragically, the defendant shattered that day with unconscionable rage and violence. His violence has left a grieving family struggling to understand why this happened and a son who doesn’t understand why his mother – his best friend – is no longer there. While today’s sentencing closes a chapter in this case, it can never heal the wounds of grief and loss felt by those who knew and loved Christine.”

East Providence Police Lieutenant Ray Blinn and Detective Matt McNulty led the investigation and Assistant Attorney General and chief of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit Daniel Guglielmo prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.