Woman pleads to charges connected to 2021 death of Springfield man

SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield woman has pleaded guilty in connection to the events surround the death of a man from over two year ago.

Stacy Rife, 37, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery, and tampering with evidence Friday, according to Clark County Common Pleas Court records. She was indicted on the charges on the same day.

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The charges are in connection to the 2021 death of Philip Riggle.

Court records from 2021 indicate that Rife and a man, Brandon Konicki, were arrested and charged in connection to Riggle’s death. They were accused of coming up with a plan to rob him prior to his death.

On May 2, 2021, a witness said they heard a single gunshot a short time after Konicki went to Riggle’s home. Rife was seen at the scene a short time after.

When police spoke to her on the scene, she had $260 with her. She admitted to passing the money off before being formally interviewed at the police station, according to court records.

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Police asked her if she had taken the money from Riggle after he died and she denied it. Officers noted in a probable cause affidavit that Riggle’s pocket had been turned inside out, “indicative of a robbery motive.” Analysis done by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation showed traced of Rife’s DNA in the pocket of the pant Riggle was wearing at the time of his death.

She was arrested in July 2021.

We’re working to learn when Rife will be sentenced.

Konicki is set to got to trial for the charges brought against him next week, according to court records.

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