An inmate involved in the killing of Blair County Corrections officer Rhonda Russell has been sentenced to life in prison. Christopher Aikens pled guilty to 2nd degree murder last month and was sentenced to life yesterday. In Nov., of 2021, Officer Russell was taken hostage by Aikens at the Blair County Courthouse and killed when Aikens pulled her into the line of fire. Aikens tried to escape and pointed a gun at Altoona Police Sgt., George Bistline, who in turn fired his own weapon, striking Officer Russell. The Russel estate has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the county and city personnel as contributing to Russell’s death.
