Herman pleads guilty

Crystal Herman, a 38-year-old Shakopee, Minn., woman, formerly of Warwick, N.D., has pleaded guilty to a AA felony charge of being an accomplice to murder in connection with the 2015 death of Amanda Engst.

Herman appeared in court on Thursday, January 25, where she amended her not guilty plea to guilty pursuant to a plea agreement with the state.

During the proceedings, Eddy County State's Attorney Travis Peterson outlined the course of events leading up to and following Engst's death on or about October 13, 2015.

Peterson said that Crystal and her husband Billy Herman kidnapped Engst, used Engst's car, and then Crystal aided Billy in murdering her and dumping her body off a bridge in Eddy County over the Sheyenne River.

According to Peterson's statement, they then used her cell phone, wrote checks out of her bank account and made withdrawals from her bank account with her debit card after her death.

The criminal complaint states that Crystal aided in the murder by emptying the trunk of the car so her body could be placed in it, then held a flashlight while Engst was beaten.

Peterson noted that pursuant to the plea agreement, which isn't binding at this point, Herman would face a maximum of 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for a Class AA felony is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hovey accepted the guilty plea from Herman and ordered a pre-sentence investigation in the case. Herman's sentencing will be scheduled once the investigation is complete, likely in 90 days.

Herman is held at the Stutsman County Correctional Center. Her bail was revoked in light of her guilty plea, so she will remain held without bail until her sentencing.