Daniel Krug, a Colorado man, was convicted of killing his wife after stalking her while posing as her ex-boyfriend. He was found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of stalking, and one count of criminal impersonation. His motive was to scare his wife and then win her back by protecting her from the fake stalking led by him. Despite no physical evidence linking him to the killing, prosecutors argued that Krug plotted to kill his wife to silence her and because she didn’t want to be with him anymore. The defense alleged sloppy police work and incompetence in the investigation.
Krug’s wife, Kristil Krug, a biochemical engineer, had documented threatening texts and emails suggesting she was being watched. Prosecutors said a burner phone used to send some texts was purchased with a gift card registered to Krug and was often in the same location as his phone. The email account used was created on his workplace network. Surveillance cameras at their home, installed due to the stalking, were not recording when Kristil was killed, and the garage camera was covered with tape, which had DNA from an unknown source.
During closing arguments, the defense highlighted Krug’s casual behavior after the killing, such as complaining about his coffee order. Prosecutors said he wanted to appear unaffected by the crime. When initially questioned by police, Krug blamed the ex-boyfriend. However, when the alibi checked out, he suggested Kristil may have been having affairs. The prosecution emphasized Krug’s meticulous planning to ensure he left no DNA at the scene of the crime.
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