A Whittier man who killed his girlfriend's 2-year-old child pleaded guilty

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/1053030.html?storylink=mirelated

JAMES HALPIN
JHALPIN@ADN.COM

A Whittier man who killed his girlfriend's 2-year-old child pleaded guilty Monday to a count of manslaughter, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Shaka Levshakoff, 27, was sentenced to serve 16 years in prison in connection with the June 24, 2007, death of Annemarie Nimmo, whom he beat to death in his Whittier apartment.

Levshakoff also pleaded guilty to interfering with official proceedings for persuading the girl's mother, Shaunteala Graham, 23, to deliver a false confession claiming responsibility for the death, troopers said.

Nimmo died at the Whittier clinic after her mother and a clinic assistant brought her there for treatment. The child had severe bruises on her face and elsewhere on her body that troopers, citing witness accounts, said she did not have previously.

At the time just before Nimmo's injuries were reported, Graham had been at work. Her boyfriend, Levshakoff, was alone with the child in Whittier's Begich Towers, according to troopers.

After an investigation lasting more than a year, troopers arrested Levshakoff on charges of first- and second-degree murder. Shortly thereafter, Graham came forward telling troopers in interviews and a written statement that Levshakoff was innocent and that she unintentionally killed her child.

In a 2008 interview with the Daily News, Graham described pushing Nimmo around the morning she was killed because Graham was hung over and irritable as she was preparing for work.

Graham later testified for the state at the grand jury proceeding, and Levshakoff was indicted on the charge of interfering with official proceedings. Graham has not been charged in connection with her false statements, according to court records.

Following his plea Monday, Levshakoff was sentenced to 20 years in prison with five suspended and 10 years of probation to serve, troopers said. He was also sentenced to three years with two suspended on the interfering with proceedings charge.

Levshakoff's attorney did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

Find James Halpin online at adn.com/contact/jhalpin or call him at 257-4589.

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Comments: 2      Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

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  Imtheirmommy wrote on 02/03/2010 01:12:55 PM:

  SICK SICK MAN!!! Poor baby I can not believe this!!

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  Chozen wrote on 02/02/2010 10:56:06 AM:

  A lousy 16 yrs ro serve for murdering my great grandchild is Not enough. And the sad part is he won't even have to serve all of it!

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