"Puppet Master" Killer Set Up The Most Elaborate Murder Plan To Kill A Woman

Barbie, bubble. >> Open up, police. Barbie said there was a. stalker. >> 82 days before the murder, there is a. break-in. And in the event of a. break-in, usually something is going to. be stolen from the house. Most times, it's going to be whatever that is within. reach and is the most valuable. Nobody. is breaking and entering, risking jail.

time to steal a can opener and the. remainder of your laundry detergent. They want electronics. They want cash. They want things that they can resell. and make money from. This is a literal. cash grab with a side of trespassing. That's what most break-ins are. It's. devastating, but at least you know that. the motive is very clear. Whoever did. this wants money. They're committing. atrocious crimes to make [music] money. But what if someone breaks into your. house and they take something that is. not of monetary value? They don't steal.

the $1,000 iPad that's in clear view or. the phone or the car. They steal your. journal that you write in every single. day. It's not a password book. You don't. have some sort of ledger for Bitcoin in. there. It's just like your deepest inner. thoughts leather-bound journal that. financially would fetch no more than $10. on the market resold. Or what if someone. breaks in and you check the entire house. up and down, nothing's been taken. Nothing. And it's not like they didn't. have time. And then you you walk by the. console under your TV and there's.

[music] the picture frame, the picture. of your entire family that you framed. last year during Christmas. The frame is. still there. [music]. But the photo is gone. >> Hm. >> They had time to take the photo out of. the frame, but they didn't take anything. else? No valuables? What are they. planning on doing with the picture? Or. you go upstairs to try and collect. yourself. You're about to shower and in. the drawer, your hairbrush is gone. It's. missing. [music]. Or maybe they take that one magnet that. you have on the refrigerator that you. bought during your first time going. Yosemite? What the hell are they going. to do with that? Or any of these things?

These are the things that will keep. people up at night. It's not just like. the random violation of someone breaking. into your home, which is typically the. only private place that people can truly. feel safe, but it's the fact that you. don't know who did it. You don't know. why they did it. It's clearly not for. money. Then what is it for? Are they going to. come back? For the Krug family house in. Colorado, it's even more alarming than. all of those. Daniel Krug, the father of three kids. and husband of Kristeel Krug, calls 911.

Daniel's standing at the end of his. driveway talking to the officer, and. he's explaining, "I mean, as I pulled. in, I saw someone run out, jump over my. gate, and take off that way.". Like he walked in on this trespassing, on someone breaking and entering. >> [music]. >> I didn't think to call you until my my. wife got home recently, and we realized. the spare key that we keep in the garage. isn't there. >> If someone breaks into your house and. they only take the spare key, >> [music]. >> the only reason they would do that is to. come back later. But to do what? Over the course of the.

next 82 days, it will be like the person. who broke into that house never even. left the house. Strange things are going. to start to happen to the Krug family, almost driving them to the point of. being completely paranoid, and then. finally, one of them is going to be. killed in that very house. >> [music].

[music]. >> We would like to thank today's sponsors. who have made it possible for Rotten. Mango to support the National Network to. End Domestic Violence. They are a. nonprofit dedicated to ending. relationship, workplace, and stalking. violence. This episode's partnerships. have also made it possible to support. Rotten Mango's growing team, and we'd. also like to thank you guys for your. continued support. As always, full show. notes are available at. rottenmangopodcast.com.

Today's episode includes mentions of. stalking, DV, so viewer discretion is. advised, and please take care, take. breaks, and with that let's get into it. When you read a lot of fiction books, there's going to be patterns that you're. noticing, [music] and it's not just like. the tropes. It could be the seven-point. structure, the hero's journey, save the. cat is like a popular one. It's the. outline of the story. And oftentimes, I. mean, I highly doubt authors are even. using outlines like this. >> cat? >> It's like a storyline. A lot of movies.

and books follow this exact point. progress. [music]. It's like the progression of a story. >> Like the third chapter break up? >> Yes, like the third chapter break up. that I always complain about. It's like. that, but like third chapter break up is. maybe more so a trope, but this would. like fit into the whole from start to. finish. There's almost like an outline. of ups and downs. And it's very. interesting. I think it's because humans. are comfort creatures. We enjoy stories. with similar journeys, similar endings. The point is, if you read a lot of bad. fiction, you notice these frameworks. If. you read a lot of good fiction, which.

most fiction is good, you won't even. notice these frameworks because they. either don't follow it to a T, or they. do it so well that it just feels like a. brand new story in a brand new world. But ultimately, most books can be boiled. down to the three-act structure. Which is how I'm going to boil down this. case for because I think that this is. reminiscent of a fictional storyline, but because somebody involved in today's. case thought that their plan would play. out like the movies. They even mentioned.

movies and fiction multiple times. Act one is the promise. You get thrown. into the world, and you don't really. know what's going on. And the Krug. family house sits in the middle of a. residential neighborhood, where all the. neighbors are closely stationed nearby. Their houses are very close in. proximity. The streets are smaller, the. sidewalks are well maintained, people. like to walk their pets outside. It's. [music] the neighborhood that a lot of. the houses decorate for Christmas, and. at night you have to close your blinds, otherwise the red and green. not so jolly anymore, they're going to. drive you crazy when you're trying to.

sleep. [music]. But not December of 2023. Something. happens in the neighborhood. As the Christmas lights are going off, police are stationed behind do not cross. yellow tape. It's been like that for a. while. Eventually, a neighbor stops the car in. front of an officer and asks, "Are. [music] we safe?". >> We live in the neighborhood, are we. safe? >> Neighbors are asking, "Are we safe?" I. mean, it's a good question, considering. in one of the houses that [music] looks. just like the others on the outside. It's like a regular nice family suburban. home, there is one family that is.

preparing for something. That's what it. feels like. They have a whole gun safe. filled [music] with weapons, and there's. schedules to go learn in how to use. these guns. They have family codes. >> [music]. >> These are not just shared between. parents, but with the children. Orange means caution, near normal. operations. Red, high alert, limit. visitations. >> Like they're talking to each other, "Today is code orange," or "Right now. it's code red.". >> Yeah, or like certain activities are. orange, red, nuclear, and they wrote it. down. >> Okay.

>> Nuclear means lockdown, separate. locations, active threat. I think it is. a pretty good idea to teach kids about. active threats and what to do in case of. emergencies, but the level at which this. particular family is preparing, it seems. like there is an imminent threat that. they know about, not just like a. potential what if. The whole family has. to know, and they have all these. thorough well-thought-out plans on how. to keep everyone safe. On a separate. piece of paper it reads, "Needs [music]. gun training, add walking lights, add. fence lights, add outdoor cameras, add. front door security, protection orders.

in place, trim landscaping [music] for. visibility, add extra security system, replace sliding glass door with regular. doors." What are they preparing for? >> Mhm. >> And do the neighbors know? Like, are. they all preparing for the same thing? Why are all the neighbors scared, too? December 14th, there is a wellness check. being done at the Krug house. The. officer goes to the front door to knock. and there's someone there, just standing. in front of the front door, >> [music]. >> a woman in a big puffer jacket. >> Outside inside? >> Outside. And she looks a little. startled. Oh,

I was just I'm I'm their neighbor and. they called me. They're like, "Can you. go see if she'll answer the door?" So a. neighbor was asked to check up on the. residents of this house, too. And she's. like, "You got it. You got it from. here." She walks off. The officer starts. knocking on the door. Nobody responds. He peers inside the window. I mean, the. rest of the house and the property, it. seems completely normal. >> Is there police cam footage of this? >> Yes. According to his official report later, he's looking through the front door. window. Nothing is amiss. There's no. coffee table that's been overturned. No.

broken glass. There's nothing. According. to his official report later, quote, "Everything looked orderly, quiet. I. gave the door a loud knock." He says. that he thought whoever he's checking in. on probably isn't even home right now, and he's about to drive off in the. patrol car when he decides, "I'm just. going to see if there's a car inside the. garage to be extra thorough.". The Krug family garage has those windows. at the very top of the garage that let. sunlight in, but they're so high up that. you can't even really tippy-toe and see.

into them. So the officer walks back. down to his car and just when it seems. like he's about to drive off, he drives. his car right up to the garage, climbs. on top of his car so that he can get up. to an height to peer through the garage. windows. And as he's balancing and. peering through the window, he's shining. a flashlight through. And according to. the officer's police report, he says he. very quickly sees a woman lying on the. garage floor and she is very clearly not. moving. >> I've got a female down in the garage.

>> He says he quickly gathers the woman is. very close to the steps that lead into. the house. So she's not close to the. garage door that slides up and down. She's close to the door that goes into. the house. She has a winter coat on, the. hood is pulled over her head, but her. face is showing. So, she's lying on her. back, and she's really, really still. He immediately radios in, "151, send. medical, and 110, I need a forced entry. I got a female down in the garage." He. runs to the front, kicks open the front. door, books it to the garage. He's not.

even clearing the house. He doesn't know. if somebody else is in the house. The. first words to come out of his mouth. when he opens that garage door is, "Holy. [ __ ] [ __ ] Holy shit." And it sounds. like he's trying to calm himself down. from the panic. >> [sighs]. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> [sighs]. >> According to the report, I noted a. significant amount of blood, which. appeared to be fresh, noted by the.

bright red color. The blood is running. down the wall, and the woman's head is. about 2 ft away from the wall. So, there. seems to be some sort of blood splatter. or a traumatic event enough that blood. would end up on the wall. There's more. blood underneath her head. According to. the report, he says he very quickly sees. that she's clearly not moving, and he. gathers, "Okay, so she's close to the. steps, and there's blood on the wall, there's blood on her. It seems like. she probably might not be alive. This is.

a life-threatening, fatal amount of. blood. He's calling for backup, he's. calling for paramedics, he's. administering CPR, and he's trying to. gather as much information as possible. Initially, he realizes that there's. trauma near her right temple, but. because of all of the victim's hair, he. can't make out what is causing the. bleeding. He just knows that she's. bleeding. It could have been a fall. Her. neck is kind of slanted to the left, it. could indicate a broken neck. It also. could have been from a small-caliber. weapon, but he can't be sure. So, if it. was like a not a small-caliber weapon, it probably would have left a certain. type of fragmentation to the head that.

he would have been able to quickly. identify. So, he's so unclear about what. even caused this. All he knows is he's. not picking up a pulse. He opens the big. garage door that leads out into the. driveway because he just got radioed in. that paramedics are about to pull up. So, he wants them to have direct access. into the garage because every second is. life or death. He opens the big garage. doors and instead of uniformed officers. or medics, there's an older woman softly. walking towards the opening of the door.

and she catches him performing CPR. She. catches a glimpse of someone laying on. the garage floor covered in blood and. his report reads, "It appeared to me the. woman was either a neighbor or a. relative. [music]. She was visibly upset, clearly seeing me. perform CPR. I quickly asked the woman. to stay away from the garage knowing. other officers were coming into the. area. I requested via radio that they. contact this woman and escort her from. the garage.". >> Hello ma'am, I need you to stay out, please. >> Okay. >> Next unit in, interrupt this uh. parent/relative that's on scene, please.

>> It seems like she's freaking out. There's multiple angles of this of the. older woman walking up to the garage, but it seems like she takes a step back. and then she wants to go forward, but. then probably her logic is like, "No, let the police officer do the medical. help. You're not going to be helpful.". So, then she eventually walks down away. from the garage door down the driveway. >> How old is this woman? >> I would say maybe 60s, [music] 70s. >> Oh, wow. >> You mean this is a family member who. just walked in at the precise time that.

her loved one is on the floor on the. garage floor covered in blood and an. officer is performing CPR. >> Does she see exactly who's down there? >> Yeah. And it's not an accident and it's not a. coincidence. All of this was planned. Even her showing up at that exact moment. was planned by somebody else. She's escorted away from the garage and. all the backup officers arrive at the. scene. Paramedics rush in and they. realize it's not a head wound that. they're working with. I mean, she does. have a head wound, but that's not the.

only thing. Under her thick winter coat, there's one mark, and she [music] has. been stabbed near the heart. Who would want someone in the Krug. family dead? And does this have anything. to do with the break-in that happened 82. days ago? Act two of a fictional story usually is. the confrontation. It's the structured. escalation. It's kind of the why. Why are we even talking about 35 days. before the murder? There is a text.

message sent to Christelle Krug. Saw you at. >> Christelle is. >> Christelle is the mother of three and. the wife of Daniel Krug. So, 82 days. before the murder, Daniel Krug calls the. police and is like, "Hey, I just saw. some guy break into our house, and I. talked to my wife, and we realized the. only thing stolen was our spare key.". >> I saw. someone. I I think it was a guy, but it. was it was so fast. Uh blue jeans, gray shirt, run out, jump over my gate, >> Okay. >> and take off that way. Everything seems.

to be there, >> Okay. >> except the spare key. >> The house key. >> Okay. >> 35 days before the murder, so this is. after the break-in, Christelle Krug gets. a text message. Saw you at dentist. I. like clean teeth for my. c o c k. You got me so horny and sweaty. in my car, so I nutted on yours. See you soon. Christelle is like, "The dentist?" How. would anybody know that she's at the. dentist? Christelle checks her car for a. tracker or anything else, and there's.

nothing. I mean, she hasn't posted on. social media. She's barely online these. days. She values privacy over everything. else since the stalking started. She. took down all her personal photos, family photos. How would they even know. that she's at the dentist? >> This is a stalker. >> Yeah. >> And this is not the first message? >> No. She's been getting messages all. month long. >> He said he. nutted on her. >> Yes, on her car. But this is the first. time the stalker is like, "I saw you at. the dentist at this time." And she knows.

there's no way. It's not even just a. message of like, you know, the stalker. was saying all things like, "I'm going. to kidnap you. You should leave your. husband for me." But now it's very. specific. "I saw you at the dentist.". >> Was she? >> Yeah. And the dentist plaza has like a. ton of other businesses in the same. plaza. So. if someone even just tracked her phone, it would be unclear which business or. establishment she's visiting. How would. they know specifically she went to the. dentist that day unless they're tracking. her car or they're watching her in.

person? >> Mhm. >> Then another message. "He doesn't. deserve you. You know it. He doesn't. satisfy you. That's why you keep all. your [ __ ] boys on the side. You're a. dirty [ __ ] and I know how to satisfy. you. Admit that no one satisfied you. since me. I see you flirting with. waiters, almost begging for sex, licking. your lips, and you got your boobs out. Don't know how many [ __ ] boys you. kept, but I'll save you. I know he's. keeping us apart. You don't belong in. that big house. You belong with me. I'll. get rid of him and then we can be. together. So easy.".

The stalker sends another message. "They. have random security. They'll let me. park and walk right into his building. Been there for weeks. Give me the signal. and he won't come home. Every married. [ __ ] I ever banged wanted to get rid of. their husbands. I'll do it for us. Help. me get rid of him and then we can be. together just like you want. I'm. planning a big birthday party for you. Just you, me, and 20 friends. I know. you're a dirty [ __ ] and I'll treat you. right. You can be [ __ ] with me and. I'll take you. You don't want the fake. married life. You want to be dirty and I. will save you.".

>> So these are all sent like separate. times? >> Yeah. Halloween is probably the scariest. message to date. It's a picture of. Kristyle's husband Daniel while he's. leaving work. "This your husband? Drives. like slow old lady. Can't believe you. want to suck his dick but not mine. He. needs to drive safe. Don't want to clear. rubber hose in his tailpipe, does he? >> What exactly is the photo like? >> It's of Daniel getting out of his car. going into the work. >> How far is it? Very close by? >> Really close. It's like if someone were. to park um nose in, and then I were to.

drive right by and take a picture out my. window. It's not from five parking. spaces away. It's like if you're at a. Trader Joe's and you're driving by one. of the parked cars and you just stick. your hand towards the passenger seat and. take a photo. >> What was like the first message though. that she received? Are you going to go. over that? Okay. >> No, whoever this stalker is, they're now. following the entire family. But how? It's like they have eyes and ears. everywhere. How do you follow an entire. five-person family? Four days later, a picture of a man's.

private parts come in with the question, "What do you think?". It's only escalating. And this all. started October 2nd, 2023. So, the. break-in happens earlier than this, but. the first message, the very first. message comes in October 2nd, 2023. Christille gets this. It's, "Hi. Christille. It's Anthony. Hope it's okay I looked you up. I go to. Boulder, Colorado every few weeks and I. thought we could hook up.". Christille doesn't respond, mainly. because it's like a really odd message.

from an old old friend of hers. It's her. old high school boyfriend. Christille is now married. She has three. kids. One of them, I think, is in high. school now. >> Like 20 years ago. >> Yeah, who's thinking about their high. school boyfriend from decades ago? It's. not like they have the same circle of. friends either. He knows she married a guy named Krug. and they have three kids together. Why. would she even meet up with him? They. haven't even spoken in so long. But the. next day, another message. "Are you. there? You should say yes when I offer a. pity [ __ ]. Whatever. Saw your pictures, you got.

fat, but your loser husband won't [ __ ]. your. fat. Just. You should kill yourself.". >> That, just second day? >> Yeah. But it's not just text messages, emails. are coming in. Your license plate. expired, got to fix that. She checks, her license plate has. expired. You and your husband down to Eiffel. Tower? Then the dentist messages, and Kristiel. starts feeling rightfully paranoid. But. there's also nothing that indicates that. somebody is following her. I mean, she's.

been tracking what cars have been on the. street outside her house. All normal. cars that always pass by, nothing. abnormal. I would imagine that there's. more than one exit out of the. neighborhood. So Kristiel switches it up. each time, then how would he even follow. her out? Kristiel calls an officer to. the house to check out her car. There's. nothing, there's no tracker, there's. nothing. But they can't even do. anything. Even though every day there's. a new message, if it's not from the. stalker, it's from somebody else. Like a. text message from someone else, seemingly unrelated. Hi, saw your post. on Ion Canto. Are you still looking for.

some men to join you? So I guess it's. like a. >> Like a group text. >> Yeah. Kristiel responds, can you tell me. which ad this was for? About you wanting. a train? I believe someone may have. taken out an ad with my number. Could. you share the link or the title of the. ad, please? No response. >> Wow. >> The entire Krug family has this. heightened sense of anxiety about all of. this. I mean, the pictures, the. stalking, the threats, it's just. starting to become overwhelming. They. try to track down the number sending the. messages, it only leads them to other.

dead ends, and the stalker keeps. switching numbers. Sometimes the. messages would have thinly laced threats. of kidnapping Kristiel, killing Daniel. This seemingly very normal suburban. family, the Krugs, they start changing. their entire lifestyles. They have. lockdown protocols in the house. They're. installing cameras outside around the. house. Kristiel is getting a concealed. carry license. She's learning how to. shoot guns. Daniel, the husband, he's. freaking out. Daniel's kind of a geeky. guy. He's the type at work where if he. has his work credentials on a tag that.

he clips onto a backpack, he will do. these elaborate swirls in front of like. the key readers, the key card readers, to hit his backpack on it rather than. get like a retractable lanyard of some. sort. And this is not like me trying to. give you an analogy of his personality. I literally saw him do this. So, it's. like that's what he does. That's the. type of kind of geeky energy that he. has. >> What does he do? >> He works for the Department of Public. Health for accounting. >> He's a accountant? >> Yeah. Yeah, for the government. During.

an interview with the police because. Kristielle and Daniel have talked to the. police frequently about this stalker. >> And what does she do? >> She is a bioengineer, but I believe that. she is a full-time mom at this point. She was focused on engineering. Everyone. that has spoken about Kristielle says. she was just like whip smart. So smart. >> Interesting. >> And like even the way that cuz we FOIA'd. requested this case at the way that she. was able to log each of the stalker's. messages. I mean, she was methodical.

about it. She did not play games. She. would have these ways of calming herself. down. Even when she talks to Detective. Martinez, which is the guy the officer. that's helping her with catching the. stalker. She even tells him like she has. folders. She's presenting all the. evidence to him and she's telling him, "I know the whole point is to freak me. out. So, I'm trying to keep that in. mind.". >> So, she's like logging all of these. So, the police saying there's nothing they. could do about this? >> The police have put out warrants for the. cell phone companies to get extra data,

but these cell phone companies, they're. very sensitive about giving out any sort. of information until it's too late. >> Is it like a a known caller or is it a. fake number? >> Yeah, it's like TextNow numbers where. you can generate like a Google number. >> Right, right, right. >> And then if you give a warrant to. Google, they're going to stall until. maybe somebody's dead, then you can get. an expedited warrant to catch a killer. But at that point it's kind of too late. >> Yeah. >> During an interview with the police, you. know, Daniel is just saying like.

>> I went to the grocery store briefly on. Tuesday and someone behind me dropped a. can and I. panicked. So, what am I doing? I'm. panicking and I'm doing a [ __ ] job. of protecting my wife. >> It just seems like this whole family is. falling apart because of this stalker. Kristia, on the other hand, she's not. putting up with this. She's ready to go. to war for her safety, as she should. She gets [music] the meeting with. Martinez. Martinez even says, she came. into the interview room and just kind of. took over and just told me everything,

like this is what's happening. She's. bringing out papers, files, documents. She got a full-blown report from the PI. >> The first message saying, this is from. Anthony, right? That's the first person. of interest and. >> Yes. And she's track She got a PI to. track all of his addresses, all of his. associated phone numbers, but they keep. moving from different parts of the. state. She's handing this all to the. police. All of this. And she's like, this is my ex-boyfriend from high. school. This is his name. I think this. is his current address. Officer Martinez.

opted not to go talk to Anthony because. his problem was there's not enough to. arrest him. So, if they go and talk to. him without arresting him, that could. set him off. >> Okay. What else? >> need to gather more information. They. need to wait for these phone companies. to come in with the data to have enough. evidence to arrest him. So, Officer. Martinez is like, I mean, I could go. talk to him, but if I don't have that. evidence, I can't arrest him. So, we. don't know what he's going to do after. we stop talking to him. >> Because that they only have a message.

saying that's his name, but there's not. evidence linking it to his number. >> Yeah. So, they have a message saying, "Hi, it's Anthony." and then all these. crazy messages. And then a PI who. separately finds Anthony's home address. There's no evidence to say that that is. Anthony. Anyone could send a message and. say, "Hey, it's Stephanie Sue." but. like, you have no evidence that it's. Stephanie Sue, right? So, he's like, "I. could go talk to him, but if it is. Anthony, that could set him off.". Like, >> Like could go crazy after that and I. don't know if that's a good risk. Do I. agree with that kind of sentiment? I.

don't know, but that's how the laws are, so I would say blame the laws more than. Officer Martinez. >> [sighs and gasps]. >> I don't know, maybe I'm too personally. invested. There's a lot of um body cam. footage, and there's a lot of footage of. people, family members rightfully. initially being upset with Officer. Martinez, but later um all of. Kristelle's family have come out and it. seems like Officer Martinez took it very. hard. So, we'll get into it, but. >> Mhm. >> because the way the laws are set up, it's not like Martinez doesn't want to. go and talk to him. It's not like he's. being lazy. It's more so, I can't even.

arrest the guy. >> And I keep trying to remind myself this. isn't intended to be terrorizing. [music] This isn't intended to scare me. So, I can't like I can't take it here. Yeah, please. >> Kristelle tells her family members, "It's either going to be me or him. that's dead, >> [music]. >> and I'm going to do everything in my. power to make sure it's not me.". If this were a fictional story, which. it's not, and again, the only reason. we're comparing it to one is because. there's somebody in this case that. thinks that this is going to play out. just like the movies, is going to be. this theatrical, beautiful, cinematic.

ending, and it's not. But, act three is the resolution. It's. typically where everything collides. together, the clues start clicking into. place, the story's central question is. answered, usually who did it and why. At the Kreuger house, backup officers, paramedics have all arrived, but it is. too late for Kristelle Kreuger. She's. dead. She's been killed. Someone stabbed. her in the heart in her own garage. One by one, all the family members are.

arriving to the house. Kristelle's. mother was the one that saw when the. garage first opened. >> That was her own mom outside? >> Yeah, that was Kristelle's mother, and. she is now being comforted on the street. by the neighbor in the puffer coat. Nobody knows if Kristelle is dead yet. The officers don't want to tell the. family members until everybody's. gathered. Kristelle's dad, Lars, arrives. Kristelle's brother, Lars Jr., arrives. Her sister-in-law, Kate, arrives. The last person that they need. to wait for is Kristyl's husband, Daniel. Thankfully, all the kids are in. school. The police don't want to tell.

anyone until they're all gathered. Daniel's the last to arrive, and he. parks further away because there's cop. cars all surrounding the house. He runs. up to the cops. They're telling him, "Back up. Under no circumstances are you. going into that garage right now.". >> My house. Hey, stay back. Stay back. Stay back. Stay back. >> This my house. >> I understand. >> He freaks out. They tell him, "Family's. on the side." He books it to the family. Nobody's giving him information. Finally, an officer walks over and lets. them know that she's gone. Daniel's on the ground. He's on his. knees. He's sobbing. Even Kristyl's mom.

is comforting him because there's just a. lot of guilt coming in. Daniel is. hyperventilating, saying things [music]. like, "I didn't protect her. I was. supposed to protect her.". >> I was here to protect her. >> I let them know. >> I let them know. >> Kristyl's autopsy states that she was. attacked from behind with a blunt. object, bludgeoned in the head, rolled. over before being stabbed in the heart. All everyone knows is, unless the police. catch this guy, Daniel Krug is probably next. And if this were a fictional story, if.

this played out like the movies, this is. where the resolution would come in. They. would all find the guy, Anthony, the guy. that's texting and stalking Kristyl. They would arrest him, and all the. questions would get answered. Anthony's. a bad guy. He'll get what's coming to. him. The story isn't happy at the end. because how is it going to be happy? But. you get to see Anthony rot in jail. But. this is not like the movies or the. books. I mean, this is real life. It. never happens that way. Through the body cam footage of the. officers at the Krug's house, there's. this one part where all the officers are. pulled to the side, away from the family.

members, away from the neighbors. And. one of the officers tells the others, >> Yeah, I don't know the backstory. Her. husband said there was a. a dude who's been stalking her and. threatened to kidnap her. >> Where's this dude. >> was involved. And Martinez just said, "Hey, this is a big old. >> I don't know, dude. I don't know the. history on that portal. Martinez does though. He said he's. coming in. So. >> Okay. >> Like I told him, you can see if Butler needs photos with. this big old house. Other than that, we're just kind of. securing the scene and waiting for. detectives, you know?

>> They all point to the blue piece of. tape. So, over the Google Nest camera. on the front door, there's blue piece of. tape covering the camera. >> It's like a ring camera, right? >> Yeah, and they just covered the Someone. came and covered it with blue tape. And. the cop is like, "Did you do that?" The. guy is like, "No." So, they're like, "That's interesting. It's really. interesting.". The officer that first arrived at the. scene, obviously adrenaline was rushing. once he saw a woman down in the garage, but he said that when he kicked the. front door, he didn't feel a lot of. resistance. He doesn't think that it was. dead bolted. Like maybe there was a.

lock, like the bottom lock, but it. wasn't dead bolted. Maybe just the. handle was locked. But the most. interesting conversation the police have. away from the ears of family members and. neighbors. is that this is still an active. investigation. We are going to treat every single. person here as a potential suspect. That night at the police station, Daniel. Cristie's husband is about to leave. after answering questions along with the. rest of Cristie's family. So, they're. all coming in for interviews. And he. turns, and before he leaves the police.

station, he stops in the police lobby, and he's talking to one of the officers, and he says, >> He took. my children's mother. for Christmas. I'm never going to get over that. I don't care if you got him. Sure him. I. don't care if you got him. Find him. Don't just assume it's me. Keep looking. >> Wha- What do you. >> Don't just assume it's me. >> Yeah. Wha- What do you mean assume it's.

me? Daniel is Cristie's husband. Daniel. says so himself. I've seen the movies. It's always the husband, isn't it? But. you need to find him. >> Mhm. >> Inside [music] the Krug house near one. of the action plans in case the stalking. escalates, there's a tiny little post-it. [music] sticking to a bookshelf. And it. reads, "Whoever fights monsters should. see to it that in the process he does. not become a monster. If you stare long. enough into the abyss, [music] the abyss. will gaze back into you." Nietzsche.

>> Handwritten? >> Handwritten. What does any of this mean? Informing the adults of the Krug family. of Krystle's murder is one thing. To. inform her three kids is a totally. different situation. And this happens to. be one of the. Okay, like I could. Sometimes words are very bland. I feel. like the words heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, horrendous, heinous, they're all pretty empty at this point. I think it's just so shitty. I believe. it's the eldest daughter. She's in high. school and she already knows that.

something is wrong before police and. family members come to pull her out of. school. She's in the guidance. counselor's office when the first. officer shows up. And she's explaining. like she saw a lot happen through her. phone because this family has been. stalked, they likely all have access to. the phone cameras and she's like in high. school, so definitely she does. And. they're probably all alert watching for. any suspicious activity and she's crying. and she says, >> My phone notified me all night house. cameras going off. There was police at. my house. >> There was police at the house and an. ambulance and there was a stretcher. I.

couldn't bring myself to see who was on. the stretcher, so I called mom and dad. My dad picked up and. he's crying and he he like wouldn't tell. me what's going on. He told me to shut. off my phone is coming here to pick me. up. So the officer is trying to gather. intel cuz the officer knows everything. that's happened, too. >> What has been going on at home? >> So this dude has been threatening my. mom, stalking her, taking photos of my. dad saying that he's going to kill him. Do we know who this person is? One of. her exes. I don't know his name. Like an. ex-boyfriend? Yeah. And they broke up a.

while ago. They ended it as friends, so. this has all come as like a really big. shock to my mom, but she mentions to the. police officer, [music]. "He's been contacting her from different. numbers, sending pictures of my dad. saying that he's going to kill him. He. doesn't mention anything about me and my. siblings yet, which is good. He posted. something to a website trying to recruit. guys to help him with whatever plan he's. going and he's been contacting my mom. through all of this. And so my mom has. contacted the police and. she has like a whole bunch of people on. this case, but the thing is he's making. it sound like she's helping him and. she's not. So we're really afraid that.

the police are going to turn on us. So. she's been trying to protect herself. So. she has a gun and she's in the process. of getting her concealed carry license. so that she can protect herself and us. >> [music]. >> And then yeah, when I saw the camera I. assumed that she would have to use that. gun. She tells the officers that my parents. don't have the best relationship. It's. not violent whatsoever. They just. haven't been getting along. They won't. get a divorce. They say it's for the. children. [music] It's best for us, but. at least I know it's their marriage. isn't doing the best. Like it's never. bad enough for her to pair up with this. guy. So she's explaining the stalker is.

making it seem like Kristie and the. stalker are going to kill Daniel. >> Mhm. >> so that they can run off together. And. this. little girl like the daughter is like. that's not like I I'm telling you like. my mom would never do that. Please. >> Right. So she is kind of thinking that. the mom was self-defensing her like. killed him. >> the stalker. >> Woah. >> Throughout this she's breaking down and. cuz in the foyer request they it's all.

blurred thankfully, but you actually see. the moment when the kids are told I'm. not going to include it. It's. but I think it's important to know it's. like a very heavy moment because all of. this will. the importance of that comes full circle. later. There's almost this speculation. from the daughter at least that the. stalker was trying to kill the dad and. make it seem like the mom was part of. it. Trying to frame the mom. Whoever's. out there stalking Kristie, it is not. their first time. It's not their first. time creating multiple identities and.

creating multiple phone numbers and. changing their locations just so they. could stalk a woman. And there is a lot. of potentials to debate here. The. messages show that the stalker would. have an idea of what their end result. was going to be and then completely. change their mind and then think about. something else. At first they want to. kidnap Christelle and likely hold her. captive. There are messages of. kidnapping her and then the stalker. believing that Christelle would finally. be happy with him. Or if that's too hard, they could just. kill Christelle. Maybe that's the better. plan. Or how about they kill Daniel,

Christelle's husband, and frame. Christelle for it. That way Christelle. won't have anyone. She'll have to come. to him, her stalker, right? A nationwide. arrest warrant is put out for Anthony, the ex-boyfriend, the stalker. And while. they're looking for him, a woman named. Carrie is brought into the police. station. She explains the same exact. thing happened to her during her. breakup. I mean, this was a long time. ago, so this was when she was in. college, so like 15 years ago. And she. says, "You know, I broke up with him a. couple months into my freshman year and. he was pretty emotional. I would say.

sort of desperation would maybe be the. word I would use to describe him after. the breakup. I'm just kind of like, 'Please don't do this.' Kind of crying, that sort of thing that I can recall. And then I started to get messages from. his roommate. That person's name is Tom. And she starts getting these messages. and quote, 'And I know Tom is real. because they're roommates. If I called. him, sometimes Tom would pick up the. phone and they had like a joint phone. and a joint room.' She says that Tom. would message her talking about how her. ex wasn't doing well because of the. breakup and.

maybe was going to. be injured. But then turns out Tom isn't Tom. I. mean, Tom is real, but Carrie says Tom's. messages were being sent by her. ex-boyfriend to try and push her closer. to her ex again. They're not from the. real Tom. They're not from the real. roommate. The stalker also created other. identities to try and separate her and. isolate her from her friends. It kind of. ruined her entire college life. Ultimately, all the leads led back to a. public library, even though she and one.

of the officers that she was working. with, I mean, they knew who it was. It. was the ex-boyfriend. They just didn't. have enough evidence to get him. And so, the police were like, "Okay. And your ex-boyfriend is?". Daniel Cruik. >> Damn. >> Like, what an idiot I feel like I was. after all of this. Because, like you. said, you can read through all this and. go, "Well, duh, it's a Dan." You know, but when you're in it, you just become so, like, almost crazed. by it. You don't know.

who who it is or. >> So, this lady, Carrie, right? She showed. up by herself or was she. >> Police brought her in in Daniel's sealed. records. There was an incident between. her and him in college. And the police. are like, "What are the odds that. Kristeel was being stalked and Daniel. has an ex-girlfriend from college that. was stalked by Daniel?". >> Oh, she was stalked. She wasn't just. >> No, she got these threatening messages, weird messages from all sorts of people.

that were not the people they claimed to. be. >> From decades ago, that's. >> Yeah. >> Wow. Now, the police, did they suspect. him from the get-go or was it or how did. they even go down that path? >> They suspected him the minute that he. came into the police station because. [music] it's like the movies. >> [music].

>> Have you ever waited for an item that. you thought you bought online, but then. it never comes? Every time a package was. delivered, I would rip it open and then. I'd be shocked. I'd be like, "What? Why. is this not here?" To the point where I. would go back to my email, try to figure. out, hunt it down, why hasn't it been. shipped? Turns out I never bought it in. the first place. I just had it in my. cart and I had been thinking about it so. much that I tricked my brain into. thinking that I bought it, which made me. think, I wonder how many customers this. is happening to and how many businesses. this is happening to, which is why I.

will forever be obsessed and not stop. talking about Shopify. For a limited. time, we had a collection of Grandpa. Mango's art for sale online and Shopify. was like the secret formula to launching. our small business. The purple shop. button is the secret ingredient. It's. just one tap at checkout. You don't have. to dig through your purse and your. wallet for your card. You don't have to. re-enter your addresses. It's the kind. of thing that once you have it, you. cannot imagine going back. Shopify's. Shop Pay is trusted by millions of. merchants across the globe and it's the.

single biggest reason Shopify has the. best converting checkout experience on. Earth. Shop Pay removes the friction. that kills sales at the finish line. See. less cards go abandoned and more sales. with Shopify and their Shop Pay button. Sign up for your $1 per month trial. today at shopify.com/rotten. Go to shopify.com/rotten. That's shopify.com/rotten. A few weeks back, a family friend was.

rear-ended. She kept hesitating about. calling a lawyer because she didn't want. to seem like she was making a big deal. out of nothing, but here's the thing, if. you have been injured in an accident, you should not let assumptions prevent. you from going after fair compensation. Your recovery, your family's stability, your ability to pay bills and move. forward with your life matters so much. more than maybe I'm being dramatic. Morgan & Morgan is the largest law firm. in America and they've successfully. recovered over $30 billion for their. clients and when it really counts, they.

don't back down. Their team includes. over 1,000 attorneys working across the. country giving them strength and. resources to help you get your life back. on track. Hiring the wrong firm can be. disastrous, but hiring the right firm. could substantially increase your. settlement. If you've been hurt due to. the negligence of someone else, you can. check out Morgan & Morgan. Their fee is. free unless they win. Just click the. link in the description below or visit. forthepeople.com/rottin. That's f o r thepeople.com/rottin.

or dial pound law 529 from your phone. This is a paid advertisement. >> [music]. >> A lot of people will tell you that the. smartest murder is the one that you have. never heard of yet because that's the. whole point. It goes undetected. But a. lot of people have been calling this. case the smartest, most calculated. murder in recent history. The months of. planning, creating fake identities, using fake phone numbers, IP addresses, buying multiple gift cards, and it all.

falls apart with the acting. It's like a. B-grade movie. It's like the type of. dialogue that you really only read in a. book. Daniel Krug thinks that the police. are onto him. He thinks that they're. just trying to look at him as the. suspect. I mean, yeah, they're still. trying to find Anthony, the. ex-boyfriend, but they've also just. spent hours interviewing Daniel after. Kristel's body was found. [music] Hours. All the other family members were let. out early. Why is Daniel the only one. staying behind? They're asking him. in-depth questions that can only point.

to them being suspicious of him. And. when they finally let him go at the end. of the night, Daniel's about to leave. the police station and he turns to the. officers and he says, >> I have no business talking to you. gentlemen. Because I got. >> You don't believe that? >> Fine. Just don't stop looking elsewhere. >> You think I'm lying to you something? >> Okay. Fine. >> Are you married?

With kids? >> Divorce. >> Right behind you. >> I don't care if you capture him. I just. want the criminal. He took. my children's mother. from my son. They're never going to get over that. >> And with that, he walks out of the. police station. It's like straight out of a James. Patterson novel. Nobody talks like that. in person. Nobody whispers like that in. person. It's very odd. I also think that.

we as people recently have given too. much grace to the phrase everyone. responds to grief differently. It's. true. I think it's very true. But some. things if they are sending your radars. off, if your gut is saying, "Okay, this. is so bizarre." It's not even just like, "Oh, I probably wouldn't behave like. that if I were grieving." But like, "Wow, I'm so shocked and thrown off by. this." I don't think that we should all. just chalk it up to, "Well, everyone. responds to grief differently." The. police have a theory now. The way that.

Daniel has been talking, the things that. family members have told them, they. believe that Kristal wanted to divorce. Daniel and Daniel decides he's going to. pretend to be a stalker to drive his. wife straight back into his arms. This will be the catalyst that brings. them closer together. This is what they. need to reconnect. >> These are theories from the families? >> The police. Gathering from all the. interviews that they had with family. members. December 5th, 2023, Kristal gets an. email. "Hey gorgeous, I can't visit you. anymore. No more Colorado time. My.

girlfriend doesn't want us talking. without her. She says, 'You're going to. let cops get after me after you off. him.' But she doesn't know you like I. do. We got a new place with lots of room. on the East Coast. She said you can move. in with us. We like three-ways. Trash. your husband and come. You know how to. get me when he's dead.". I mean, it's kind of a nonsensical. email, but ultimately it kind of seems. like the stalker is going to lay off. He's saying like, "I'm moving to the. East Coast. I don't have time to go to. Colorado." I mean, this is what Kristal. thought. But 9 days later, Kristal is.

dead. And that's what the police can't. wrap their heads around. If Daniel is. the stalker, let's say hypothetically he. is, why would he send this message. saying, "Hey, I'm not going to come to. Colorado anymore?". And then why would he kill her at the. end? Cuz they thought maybe Daniel's sending. these messages to get his wife closer to. him. >> Mhm. >> So if Daniel's the stalker, why would he. say like, "Hey, I'm the stalker. I'm. going to lay off." Cuz that would. indicate the relationship is going well. then. Maybe Daniel's like, "Oh, she's. already so close to me now. I don't need. to keep stalking her. We've like fixed.

our problems.". >> Mhm. >> In the FOIA request, we got a ton of videos where Daniel is. sitting in front of a white cinder block. wall, and he's got a phone up to his. ear, and he's staring at the screen with. his parents on there. >> Have you ever gotten like jailhouse. calls with the families? >> Calls? Like sometimes audios. You'll get. random audios, but really they don't. like to give these out. >> Mhm. How many hours of that did you get? >> god. I think overall we had hundreds of. videos because there were a lot of.

officers at the scene of the crime, and. every single thing was body cammed. I. mean, there's a lot of body cam video. that ultimately we would sit through, and then it would be like a 1-minute. conversation at the end between an. officer and a neighbor, and the officer. is just like, "Drive around. This is. taped off. Drive around." I think it was. like a hundred jail call videos. >> Dang. Okay. >> It was a lot. And a lot of them is like. just yapping. A lot of them is weird. And Daniel is sitting in jail. He's. about to go on trial for murdering his.

wife, and he's telling his family, "I. didn't do this. The stalker is still out. there, and they put the wrong guy in. jail because they think it's like the. movies, and it's always the husband, and. it's not me, and my kids are not safe.". He's ranting. He's worried about his. kids. He's adamant that someone else. killed Kristeel, and just like how her. stalker wanted to set her up for his. potential murder, he believes that the. stalker set him up for her murder, and. nobody's listening to him. So now. Kristeel is gone. He's sitting in jail.

for something he says he didn't do, but. nobody's listening, and his three kids. are out there, and he's pleading with. his elderly parents, I need them safe. >> I don't know where. or who. did this, where he is, or who he is. I need my children. >> [music]. >> out of Colorado. >> Mhm. He's also concerned about Stockholm. Syndrome. The kids are staying with. family members on Kristel's side of the. family, and he says,

>> But now we're back to my original fear. of Stockholm Syndrome. I do not know. what she has been told. I do not know what she believes. >> Okay. >> I do not know if my children even want. me anymore. >> Did he say Stockholm Syndrome or. >> Yeah. >> Like what what what in what context? >> Like they're going to get Stockholm. Syndrome with Kristel's side of the. family and just believe whatever they're.

saying. And Kristel's side of the family. thinks that he's the stalker, and he's. like, no one believes me that I'm being. set up. >> Mhm. >> He's like, I'm probably sleeping like 16. hours a day because of the depression. I. sleep, I read, I cry, and that's about. it. And there's obviously frustration, too. He says, >> I don't understand how you can put in a. claim for wrongful arrest, wrongful. imprisonment if you have to wait for. everything to be settled. >> So, he's like, I can't even file a claim. for wrongful arrest until after the. trial. >> We are in a digital and monitored age.

They never produced a single photograph. of me with phones. They never produced a. single photograph of me buying anything. They never produced a single piece. hard. evidence. Just. identity theft. That's. it. That's it. And we're in a world today where that's.

enough. DNA exoneration. doesn't mean. dick. Because someone. can do things with a cell phone. Not a single. photograph, not a single. drop of blood, not a single scrap of. DNA, not a single recording. can see that. All it takes to destroy somebody.

>> So he's claiming someone stole his. identity. >> Yeah. >> to do this? >> Daniel's parents are completely. supporting him and they agree with him, but they're also concerned about him. sitting in jail. He says about the food. that he eats, he eats a lot of ramen. because quote, "If you ever find. yourself watching TV and you see a cat. food commercial, we look at those commercials here with a. sense of longing. The collective. decision here is that food commercial. should be banned in jails and prisons. Because even horrible food, you know, I. would never eat Taco Bell, ever. It's. disgusting. And yet I see ads for it and.

I'm like, that looks really good. It's. clear the pressure is getting to Daniel. though. On the phone with his parents, Daniel gets emotionally charged because. he's in jail and he doesn't know where. his collection of valuable coins and. metals are. Apparently, Daniel's mom. spoke with Kristel's family about it and. they didn't know it either where it went. and Daniel explodes. >> So that that tells me that they are. going through the house and they're not. supposed to. They were supposed to give. a written list. No, no, no. You call, you text, whatever. They are not to have.

unrestricted access to whatever the [ __ ]. they want. And I know, no, but what that. tells me is they're sifting through. everything and they're looking for. whatever whatever is of value because. you ban because they don't want me in. that life. And I know that. >> Okay, honey. Okay. >> They don't get to treat me like this. >> No. >> That's all I do. That's all I do. I'm. the one master comedy and everything. They want to sell the house, I'm fine. I. have to sell the house. They don't want. to let me speak to my kids, fine. I'm. not allowed to speak to my kids. I get.

[ __ ] angry. >> I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. >> I'm. sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. >> And mom is like, I wish I could make it. all go away, Danny. >> Wait, this is this is so weird. [snorts]. It's Yeah. Is this giving like a like a. movie? Does he talk like a toddler or. what what's. >> He talks. so weird.

There's only like one person I can think. of that talks like that. Um. in a time, you know, kind of like, "Huh? It doesn't even make sense why you're. being so theatrical." Like, grief is one. thing, theatrical is kind of weird right. now. Like, it's. >> like angry, but in a very theatrical. way. >> Yeah. It's Yeah, it's like, "No. No. No. No.". >> No. No. No.

>> Interesting. >> And he takes a lot of pauses at really. weird moments. I mean, I talk pretty dramatic and I. think that I might be even more dramatic. when my emotions are high, but it the. way he does it is not like a sense of. dramatic franticness of like, "I'm. freaking out, so I'm going to freak. out." It's like very like pauses and. almost like there's an audience. >> Maybe maybe like he's try to hold it. back. >> But it doesn't feel like that either. >> scream in there. Maybe he can't throw a.

tantrum in there, so he he's like. holding it down to to. >> But that's alarming, too. >> Yeah, okay. >> How are the kids? Daniel's asking. They. were fine. They were fine. They look. good. They're keeping busy. But he just keeps getting angry at the. thought because he comes back to it. again where he thinks Kristel's family. members are taking things of value from. the house and he says, >> And I want a complete list of absolutely. everything because if I find out they're. parsing out things among different. family members, I'm going to be pissed. >> Okay. >> I want people arrested for stealing.

things from my wife's estate. >> His mom assures him that she took the. jewelry box in his closet with his. cufflinks and Daniel asks his mom, "Did. you find grandma's ring?". >> No. >> And they [ __ ] stole it. >> Danny, please. >> It was with my cufflinks. And then I have to find out what pawn. shop they're getting rid of all of my. [ __ ]. >> That's so weird. What's going on? You. have a lot more things to worry about. right now. >> Listen, okay, so like. >> does he believe he's coming getting out. tomorrow? >> and okay, all of these like when you.

file a request that they just put like. jail call No, it wasn't even like jail. call it was like public release and then. it's like a bunch of numbers cuz that's. how they, you know, log it in their. format. And so every time I'd click one, I've no idea what I'm getting into. Sometimes it'd be like his mom being. like, "Oh, yeah, so the weather today. and we drove and like we made a. snowman." And then the next one he's. like, "They [ __ ] stole it." And I'm. like, "I don't. Every single one was so vastly different. from the next one. Like you could have. no idea what was going to happen in the. next jail call. And then sometimes he's so composed and.

he's like, "Don't worry, guys. We have. to be strong." And he's making jokes. about Taco Bell. His mom keeps reassuring him, "They're. not taking your stuff. They're not. taking your stuff." I wouldn't be too. surprised if the police are listening to. this call. If they stole my [ __ ] ring. just like they stole my credit card. information. >> The police? >> That's what he claims. >> Okay. >> As the murder trial is nearing, it's. Daniel's brother who decides to tell him. the truth.

Daniel's brother is in a lot of these. calls and he tells him, "Support is dwindling.". Okay. >> From the families? >> Yeah. >> Mom and dad. want to believe you very much. I want to. believe you very much. We wish, we hope, um, and also. now there's not evidence has been. hidden, right? There's a lot that's come. out. Um, and. as. imaginative as I can be with finding.

explanations and ways to. theorize how that, you know, this or. that could have been the the reality. Um, some of it is beyond even. my creativity. >> Daniel doesn't really respond. And. again, later, on a private call just. between Daniel and his brother, and now. us and everyone else with a pension for. FOIA requesting cases, Daniel's brother. tells him, >> I want to believe in you. I, uh, and and at the same time, I I I will be. totally honest, I from the beginning have not really. ever cared.

one way or the other. I do not want to. see you where you are. I don't not I do. not want to see you where you're going, um, regardless of the situation and how. it arrived, um, I don't want you there, and. don't really care about your culpability. or anything like that. >> So, he's basically saying, like, you're. my brother through and through, and. that's how I've been since day one. However, >> situation got to where it where it got. to. My concern now. is.

your support is is dwindling, dwindling. fast. The forensic stuff, the digital, um, data is is really tough for. everybody to wrap their head around. Like I said, even I have to go through. some some fancy gymnastics to to counter. everything. [music]. It needs some story around. where phones came from, where gift cards. came from, whatever. Um, you know, whatever that that may be. You don't. have to tell me anything here. I realize. that you can't say things on the on on.

this line. So, that's that's going to be how that. is. But, I figured I would tell you. that. Uh, I'm not sure if you're going to get. to talk to Mom and Dad again before they. move you down into the purgatory [music]. spot. Um and then you're going to be. there for a month. Um. my main concern right now. is Mom and Dad are. on the brink of financial ruin and. bankruptcy. Um.

they took out probably about 120 to 150k. um to pay legal fees. And none of that has been repaid to. them. >> Daniel's brother [music] keeps telling. him, and the brother is like, "You keep. complaining and being emotional about. things with the parents, and the parents. don't have resources, and they become. emotional because you're emotional, so. they take out loans, and they're about. to get bankrupt, and they're about to. lose their car and lose everything." And. he's like, "Things like taking the kids. out of Colorado because they're not. safe, that's going to be a hundred.

thousand dollars in legal fees that we. don't have the money for, and it's not. going to work, so just drop it.". >> Ah, I see. >> He's like, "Don't even talk to Mom and. Dad about it because they're going to. want to pull out a loan. They're going. to want to try and help you, but I'm. telling you it's never going to happen. no matter how much money you throw at. it.". There's also another moment in this very. jail call, which I didn't want to. interpret, but the brother, he says like, "See, and. I don't know if I'm dense and I'm dumb. or something." But, he says something.

along the lines of like, "At some point, we're going to have to have a. conversation. We just tell me yes or no.". And it was like so out of nowhere, and. I'm like, "Are you going to ask him like. a series of yes or no questions, right?". Like, I don't know what that means. And. then Daniel cuts in and he goes, "Yes.". And then they hang up cuz the 17 minutes. are over. Every call is like 17 minutes. and 15 seconds. >> In the future, we may need to. communicate, you and I. Um I want you to look at me for a. second, real close, and say, "Yes.". >> Yes. Look at me.

>> Yes. And just no. At some point in the. future, we may need to interpret that. thing as as that. >> What what what what do you think? >> I think. >> He's asking if you did it. >> Yeah. >> So, that yes sounds like he's telling. him yes, or he sounds like, "Okay, yes, I I agree to that. Yes, we can do that. phone call later." Or. >> Yeah. >> So, it's like it can be interpreted in. both ways. >> Mhm. >> But, he's still sort of supporting him, or he's just kind of. >> Um from the energy that I get from the. brother, is he's supporting his brother,

but I think it's more so out of support. for his parents. I don't think that. makes it any better. >> Mhm. And what's the parents You think the. parents is in denial? >> Yeah. The mom is totally in denial. >> Like, my son could never. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> Yeah, but I also think that um. uh there are times in the phone calls. where I'm like, "Oof. Ooh, like these. are just. Like, I can see why he has these anger.

issues.". >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Cuz the way she's like, "Oh, I didn't. mean to upset you." It's like, who cares. about upsetting him? His whole life is. about to go down like the [ __ ] Are. you like, we can talk as adults. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> That makes sense. >> You I mean, you're too old. You got to. get your emotions in check. Like, we. can't all tiptoe and be worried about. upsetting a grown man who's in jail. about to go on trial for murdering his. wife. >> Yeah. >> There's just a lot of red flags in. Daniel's story. But, even just the way. he talks about Kristyl and the stalker, it's like straight out of a movie.

Before his arrest, when he's being. interviewed by officers, and these are. all the things that are setting off the. officers. They reference the stalker as. the stalker. They're like, "Okay, so. when did the stalking start? When did. the stalker come into play?" But, Daniel, in the midst of his wife's. murder investigation, he keeps. correcting the officers. Oh, um we call. him Kick Man. And he's always whispering. You call him what? The stalker. We call him Kick Man. >> Okay, why do you guys call him Kick Man?

>> Because. Kristel was going to kick his ass. Yeah. >> Kick that. Kick [snorts] Man. That's that's that's what we call the. stalker. >> What? It's a lot. The police just want to know. what happened. They're gathering intel. and some of it is just not adding up and. his behavior is really weird. I would. imagine any spouse in their right mind. in the interrogation room or the. interview room would be like, "Okay, let. me break it down. This is the day that. it started. This is what we have.

gathered. If you let me go into the. house where I can tell you we have logs. of the stalking. Like we just need to. find this killer." Instead of like, "We. call him Kick Man.". But the most interesting thing is Daniel. says that he first found out about the. stalking in November. And this is when. the police were like, "Wait. What? Hold. on.". Because Detective Martinez. knows that the stalking started October. 2nd. >> Yeah. >> Why would you not know for an entire. month? The officer asks, "Why. do you think the month gap before she. told you?".

>> Um sure she has mentioned to you that. that she and I are going through a rough. patch, kind of on the rocks. Uh so, probably didn't seem that. pressing until. until it was. >> So, he's explaining that Kristel didn't. tell him about the stalking until a. picture of him was sent to her. So, now. she's like, "Okay, well, your life is. kind of on the line and like maybe your. safety's at risk. So, let me explain. what's been going on for the past. month." There were mentions, obviously, that Daniel and Kristel were not in the.

best part of their relationship, which a. lot of parents raising three kids would. say they've probably seen better days. But to not know that your wife is being. stalked for an entire month, you have to. be probably on not even speaking terms. in order for this to happen. Even if she. didn't think it was that serious for a. month, she would have brought it up as. like a "Oh my god, something so weird. happened today." How bad exactly was. their relationship? >> Right. >> Kristelle's parents are brought in hours. after her murder to give formal. interviews. They were all really close. Kristelle and her dad would fix classic.

cars together, so they had this hobby. that even as they grew up, she was. always just in his garage. They have. this like retro diner set up in one. corner of his garage. And it just looks like a dream auto. shop. >> [music]. >> She would sit down while they would take. a break and he explains that she did. mention that she's being stalked by the. [music] ex-boyfriend from high school. And both Kristelle's parents, they. remember Anthony back from when they. were dating. And they say he was always. very friendly, very courteous, always.

had good manners. I mean, yeah, like it. was in high school. Okay, people who. knew them say. their breakup was very high school. It. wasn't even petty. They both worked at. JCPenney. The whole breakup was because. Kristelle was very much into academia, like she had a strong vision for her. outlook in life. Like she wanted to. pursue engineering in college. She. wanted to go that route. Meanwhile, Anthony didn't really know if he even. wanted to go to college. He was still. figuring things out. So, the way that. Anthony even spoke about Kristelle after.

they broke up, people said that Anthony. spoke about her like she was his great. first love. Naturally, he did reach out. a few times over Facebook asking how she. is. Nothing weird, but maybe he's upset. that she never made any sort of. advancement towards him, never wanted to. see him, or maybe something big happened. in his life and now he's turning on. Kristelle. But, how can somebody go from. being kind-hearted genuine person to a. stalker? Or like maybe Kristelle's. parents didn't really know him. Kristelle's mom is a bit more open with. the detectives. [music] She's. distraught. She's holding it together.

and she's telling the investigators. everything they need. >> Her life was hell with. Lance. last year. Her husband and her were not good terms. He was in complete denial. She told me how it was. >> She ever give you insight on what kind. of led her to feel like her marriage was. over or. >> Daniel is explosive. But I've never seen him hit her.

Hurt her. He would hurt the kids, but you know, some people think that corporal. punishment is okay with kids. >> Like what? Physical? >> Probably, yeah. >> Okay. >> She was worried about that. >> [music]. >> But she told me he was in denial that. she told him that this marriage was. over, but she would stay until redacted. graduated. I just this just in my gut I can't shake. this feeling. [music]. >> And what is that feeling telling you?

>> I can't shake this question. Is he the. one that's been doing this with Anthony? >> This is like the first interview? >> Yeah. >> The mom who witnessed her daughter's. death, she was comforting him at the. scene. >> Mhm. >> And now she's saying that maybe they're. working together. >> Yeah. And it's just like a bunch of. small things. It's not like a big aha we. caught you. Just like weird Even at a. recent family birthday party, Daniel is. out by the window the whole time in case. the stalker is surveilling them in the. neighborhood, but every.

Something about it just feels. performative. >> Mhm. Wow. >> feel really anxious. It doesn't feel. like. Okay, I'm so stressed. It just feels. like look at me being a protector. Kristiel's brother, he knows that the. two of them, Kristiel and Daniel, had. been separated, but still living. together mainly for the kids. He has a. different take. He tells the authorities. >> She was fully convinced that it was. Anthony. >> My mom has always been like suspicious, and I just like don't know where that. comes from. >> Can you elaborate on that? Like. suspicious how or.

>> Yeah. >> Like the difficulty finding Anthony. Like why is it so hard to find Anthony? Why can't either, you know, cell phone. records or IP sub or So my mom was very. frustrated with the the inability to. locate one person who is. so frequently contacting my sister. Like, why is that such a difficult thing. to do? Um so, my mom had that. frustration, and so I think her mind. starts to wander towards like conspiracy. type things, right? Of like, oh, maybe.

it's the husband or. maybe it's Dan. And I don't know. I. don't see it there just because. I don't know. Dan just seems so. incapable of doing something like that. to me. >> Why do you say that? Just. >> I don't know. I talked to him, and he. was like very concerned about like. getting his family together and talking. about um. being vigilant but not paranoid. >> Other members of Kristelle's family were. interviewed, and one of them says. something very interesting. He says that. he never liked Dan from the first moment.

that he met Dan. >> Who is this? >> It's like a I believe it's an uncle. >> Mhm. >> And. the officers are like, why? And he's like, there are two words I. would describe. Slick politician. I don't trust a single. thing he says. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> Kristelle's sister-in-law, Kate, is. asked by the officers if there was. something about the stalker, anything. that she thought was notable, and she. says, >> I know that Kristelle was like very. concerned and worried about this guy,

and I just always felt like it was like. there was something weird about it. Like, but I can't put my finger on it. I. feel like she had said that it was like. this Anthony guy, but that it seemed. very different than past behavior in. him. Like, that he was never said in the. past, and that these were like very like. hyper-sexual things. And so, I think even at one point she. was like. questioning whether it was actually him. >> Daniel himself has told officers during.

his interview, >> I had her as a partner to protect the. family, but it didn't feel like a. partner. who valued me. I told her I didn't want. to die for someone who didn't care about. me anymore. >> He said that he just wanted Kristeel to. say, "I do care about you." But she. didn't, and he was really hurt. Officers are finally able to locate the.

high school ex-boyfriend, Anthony, and. he's 8 hours away in a different state. at home on his couch drunk. The officers tell him, "I'm going to ask. you a couple of names and see if you. recognize them, okay?". >> Have you ever heard of the. name Crystal Krug? She may have been. Grimstead when you knew her. >> Yeah. >> And do you know a Daniel Krug? >> No. >> No? How do you know Crystal? >> She was an ex-girlfriend. >> She's an ex-girlfriend? >> Uh-huh. >> How long is the ex? Like how long ago? >> Um 1999.

>> Oh, so like a like a long while ago. >> my very first girlfriend ever. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Um when was the last time you talked to. Crystal? Has it been a while a minute? >> Um it's been a yeah. >> Like since you moved from from Durango? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> [music]. >> So that would have been what back in. 2014? >> Yeah. >> Have you had any contact with anybody in. that area since? Anybody or have they. contacted you at any time? >> No. >> It's pretty clear that Anthony is at.

least appearing drunk and confused. He. probably is drunk and confused, but what. cannot be faked or confused is the fact. that Anthony has an airtight alibi. That. morning he had gone to Kohl's and bought. a sweatshirt. And he's seen buying the. sweatshirt, and he has a receipt for it. And he's wearing that sweatshirt right. now. And there's no way that he could. have driven to kill Kristeel, then. driven back in time to buy the. sweatshirt. There's also no way that he. was on any sort of flight or Amtrak. train, nothing. Which means unless he. knows how to teleport, Anthony could not. have killed Kristeel Krug, just [snorts].

as police suspected. Which leads to. Daniel being in the back of a police. car, handcuffed, and an officer asking. him, quote, >> Hey Dan. Do you want me to tell your kids that. you killed their mother, or do you want. somebody else to? Okay. All right. Good luck. >> That's really crazy to say. I mean, I. guess he they're arresting him for.

murder, right? >> Yeah, um I think, okay, I don't. particularly. think that the cops were doing like a. spectacular job. I think that they were. doing their job what the taxpayers pay. money for, but I will say they seem very fed up. with Daniel. I think it's all of his. acting and all of his like, I was. supposed to protect her. >> Mhm. I see. I see. >> Yeah. The hours leading up to Daniel's arrest. are also very interesting. There's a few. key moments that investigators are very. suspicious about, aside from the.

physical and forensic evidence that they. get later on. But, the first one is, when Daniel is first called into the. police station, he's in the. interrogation room, and Detective. Martinez comes in, cuz Detective. Martinez is the one that has been. helping Kristelle with the stalker, aka. Daniel. And, Daniel is like hunched over. on this blue couch, and he's like, >> I could. protect her. It's not your fault. I. I could. >> [laughter]. >> I could. I could protect her. I could.

>> And Detective Martinez said that he was. looking at Daniel, and he realized he's. sobbing, he's whispering, he's doing all. these things, and not a single [ __ ]. tear. So, he starts questioning Daniel, not. even going after him, but just asking. him normal questions one would expect, and Daniel constantly keeps his pitch. out of whisper. It's always like, everything hurts. I don't feel anything. >> I have two different forces going. through my head right now.

I have. my brother Matthew Yeah, I mentioned. him. He's. uh. the sheriff's lieutenant and I have his. voice saying. uh. talk to the police. And typical cop fashion, the married. prosecutor. So, I have Lynn's voice in my head going. get a [ __ ]. >> That is crazy. That His brother is a. cop? >> Not the one that he's on the phone with,

I believe that's a different brother. >> Oh. >> So, his brother is a cop, his. sister-in-law is a prosecutor, and I. mean the fact that he mentions this very. early on in the interrogation is. definitely a very soft way of saying I. might lawyer up whenever I want. So, I. would tread carefully is the vibe that. he gives. >> Or maybe he's trying to say, "Hey, I'm. also, you know, my brother is a cop, too. Hello.". >> Yeah. And so, he just has all these like weird. moments. He also tries to hint that. Kristie would be out of the house for a.

really long time. So, he's like trying. to make it seem like Kristie was. suspicious. And I just want to say, and. I say this every single time, if an. investigator ever asks you, "What do you. think happened in this crime? Who do you. think did it?" I just want you to know. that investigator thinks you did it. And. Daniel is asked, and he responds. >> So, in my brain, the story that I have. is someone came to the door. Maybe she went outside to get a package, and they must have come in. She's She's.

a fighter. She's. She's strong. She would have fought. >> And again, it's like the movies. It's. like That's not the question right now. Like you're trying to figure out who. killed your wife. Why are you saying. things like, "She's a fighter. She would. have fought." At one point, when the. police are leading him out, he's like, "I just need to know what to tell my. kids. Did she fight? Cuz she's a fighter.". Again, it's just bizarre. Who do you.

think killed her? I think it's kick man. I I mean I think. it's Anthony. >> What if I told you that. we had already spoken with Anthony and. there's no way that he was in town. today? >> I have nothing. Terrified to bring my children up. >> Who are you terrified of? If it wasn't him, who was it? >> If you were watching these facts unfold. in front of you in a movie, what would. you say happened?

>> I'd have to assume someone else. >> How was his performance, I guess, when. he first came to the scene or found out. that the wife is killed? >> When he is in front of the house, that's. the moment where I would say we can't. really judge grief. I actually had like. a whole thing about this while I was. watching the footage cuz I was comparing. it and I was like, "Okay, I don't know. who would have a harder time because he. is much more distraught than Kristel's. mother.".

>> Mhm. >> And I was thinking, "Okay, does that. make sense for the spouse to be I guess. it would." And I was having all these. different thoughts in my head. I would. say when he gets to the house, he's on. his knees. He does keep saying things. like, "I should have protected her. I. was supposed to protect her.". >> I was here to protect her. >> I was supposed to protect her. >> I was supposed to protect. >> I think at that point it's kind of. believable. I don't know if that's how you would. behave, but I think that's like when the.

applicable term of well, everyone. responds to grief and shock differently. would apply. >> Mhm. I see. So, you're saying that it looked. like in hindsight, it was very. theatrical, right? Very in hindsight. >> then I was also trying to think, right? I I I am probably the most theatrical. person that I know in terms of like I am. dramatic with my words and I like. and I laugh loudly and things but I. think when [ __ ] comes down I would be. very alert of like okay let me process.

this. I would jump into action. So I. thought that was weird that he was so. on his knees and saying I should have. protected when it seems like the rest of. the family are like okay what what are. we going to do? We got to figure things. out. The kids that we got to worry about. the kids. It's not just us. Like. obviously there's grief but there's also. three kids that we have to take care of, figure out their safety. Like there's a. lot. >> you're saying that he he is more in that. like oh my god oh my god versus other. people kind of have their [ __ ] together. >> Yeah, I think like in that moment I.

would probably have my [ __ ] together and. then fall apart later. Because it's like okay especially when. you factor in the three kids. >> Yeah. But in hindsight though, now we. know this is his choice of performance. >> Yes. >> Like he thinks this is the most. believable reaction to give. >> Mhm. >> But it looked very off when he arrived. at the station. Just instantly became. really off. >> Yeah, I think okay now in hindsight. obviously everything is clear in. hindsight. I also think like the. constant I was supposed to protect her I.

didn't protect her is really weird at. the scene when he gets to the house. because it's not it's not about his. kids, it's not about safety and it's. also not about like we got to find the. who did this. Like there is no action. It's like very him-centric. It's like. I'm the protector and I failed. I'm the. biggest victim. Ooh, the guilt. >> Yeah. >> I It's almost like he wants people to be. like you did everything you could. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Okay, so there is a blonde woman next to. him who's comforting him more than. Kristel's mother and she is the victim.

advocate that was called to the scene. Her name is Heather. She's interviewed. later and she says at that moment it was. fine. It's actually when she gets in the. car with him driving him to the police. station for the interview she thought it. was weird. >> Really? What happened? >> Yeah, she said that he was like slumped. over in the passenger seat, like in a. fetal position. Again, kind of weird. Again, maybe it's just me being like, couldn't be me, but it's just weird. She. said, most people ask questions. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> what what do you know? How what. happened? Like, they're like a mess, but. they're still trying to gather.

information, and maybe it's all over the. place because they're a mess, but it's. not just like, I'm so sad I couldn't. protect her. It's like, what happened? Tell me what happened, right? >> Yeah. >> There's none of that. He's not asking. questions. And then she just feels so. weird about it. She said she has this. gut feeling where at one point she was. like, "Did you do something?". >> Really? >> And then she was like, "Oh my god, I'm. such a shitty person." She's like, "What's wrong with me?" Like, this is a. man who just lost his wife, and I'm over. here like, "What am I doing? Like, I'm. watching too much Dateline. Like, what's. wrong with me?". And she's like, "Okay, I got to get it.

together. Like, this is not okay.". >> I see. >> But she just had this like weird gut. feeling where just like some things are. off. >> And he she probably been doing this, right? Meeting a lot of victims, and. >> Yeah. And he keeps trying to seem like. really confused all the time. Like, even. when the cop is like, "Oh, can we see. your phone to see the house cameras?". It's like lots of like, "Oh, where did I. put my. Oh, yeah, here's my phone. Um. okay, let me try to unlock it." Like, it's just like this really performative.

trying to seem harmless. Also, I thought. it was weird that at the crime scene, he. never asks about the kids. I'm not a parent, but I think my first. reaction, like, God forbid anything. happened, if there are children involved. in anything, I'd be like, "Where are they? Are they fine? Like, who's going to get them? Like, we got to. figure out something.". But he's the dad, and he's not even. like, "Are the kids okay? Like, where. are the kids? Are they safe? How do we. know they're safe?". >> Yeah. >> He doesn't appear emotional during the.

interview. He just looks slumped over as. time progresses, and the officers are. like, "Help me make sense of this.". >> I don't know. I'm not one who does this. I get the narrative together. But it alleges that I would do this to. my children. >> There's um like I said, footage of him. telling his children what happened. So, all three of them are brought into the. police station. They're pulled out of. school, and he is asked, "Do you want to. tell your kids or do you want us to tell. your kids?" And he's like, "I I got to. tell my kids.". So, he sits down with them. He tells. them, and they are like [music].

incredibly. There's not exactly a word that I would. use to describe it. I think distraught. would be a very simple word, but I just. don't really know. I mean, one of them. seems like she's in high school. The. other two seem pretty young. >> What did he say? He just say that you're. >> Again, very theatrical. Like, "She's gone. She's not coming back.". And there are like some speculations I. saw in some comments of some of these. videos circulating, where some people.

think that maybe the eldest cuz the. whole thing is blurry, but you can still. kind of see bodies. Maybe the eldest had. an inkling because they seem the most. stand offish from the dad, but he's just. like comforting them, and it's just. >> And they're just like what? Scream. crying? >> Yeah. >> And how is he comforting them? Just. patting them? >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> I love all of you. >> Like, I wouldn't even want to bring this. up or even talk about it, but I think.

the whole point is. the fact that he would do that to his. own kids. It's like less about, "Oh, look at the. kids' reaction." It's more so like, "Look Here are the things that he's. saying to his kids after he did it.". >> That's so sick. Now, you think about. that, he chose to give that information. to the kids. >> Yeah. >> If he really cared, obviously he. wouldn't commit a crime, but then also. he probably would not have the guts to. even see that. >> Yeah. But he doesn't. And the police are.

saying like, "I think ultimately you. thought this would bring you closer to. your kids in your mind because now. you're all the kids have. The officer tells Daniel exactly what. they think happened. They think that. Anthony has reached out in the past to. Kristie-Lee and maybe Daniel has gotten. jealous even though she has told him. multiple times that she's married and he. backs off. And this was, you know, back in 2016 was. probably the last time that he reached. out. He did ask if she wanted to have. intimate relations. So, maybe you had a.

question about infidelity whether it's. with Anthony or anybody else because why. would Anthony randomly ask about having. intimate relations if they hadn't had. intimate relations? Like they're trying. to be on Daniel's side. And so, you. know, you might create an account to see. if Kristie-Lee's actually interested in. Anthony. So, you ask, you push, she. doesn't respond and then you're just. trying to confirm your suspicions of. infidelity. the response and the. openness that you once did and you think. that, well, maybe if I keep doing this. she's going to come closer to me because. she's so scared and she has nobody else.

So, you amp it up a little bit and then. you even send a photo of yourself in the. account that you had created. Daniel is asked again like, if you were. watching these unfold, what would you. say happened if this were a movie? There has to be someone known. >> I'm analytical at work and I. read and write fiction at home. I don't. do I don't do crime drama. I don't know. what that is. >> He writes fiction? He's a writer? >> Mhm.

>> But for a month Kristie-Lee doesn't tell. Daniel what's happening. So, he amps it. up by sending that photo of himself and. that's when Kristie-Lee tells Daniel. about the stalking that's been happening. and he keeps amping it up. Kristie-Lee. is still over it. She's like, I don't. want to be in this marriage anymore. I. want to get a divorce and the police. wrote in their report there's like a 700. page report that we combed through but. Kristie-Lee told somebody. in the family that she has a photo of. bruising on one of the kids that she is.

going to use against Daniel in a custody. case. And then, she also told a friend that she. confronted Daniel because she was. starting to feel. >> [music]. >> as if Daniel was the stalker. So, the police believe that not only. does she have some sort of evidence. against him in the custody case, she's. about to out him to everyone publicly at. to their family members, maybe even to. the police that he is the stalker. He's. going to lose everything. And so, he. kills her.

The forensic evidence from the top, the. Krug house has four cameras on the. outside of the house. Doorbell camera, one on the side of the house, one that. shows the driveway and the garage. And. it's crazy like this foyer request, we. got all of the footage from that and we. also got footage from like neighbors'. cameras. There's a lot of footage, but. multiple of the cameras were turned off. for 2 hours that morning. And the only. people that could turn it off manually. are Daniel and Kristie. It's only turned back on when Daniel. goes to work and he is later than normal.

his work time. And he also seems really. casual walking through his office, which. is unsettling after he just murdered his. wife. He then comes back to the house in. extreme distress, but when he calls that. welfare check, he calls the police, he. calls Kristie's mom, he calls the. neighbor. >> called? >> Yeah, and he's also the one that called. Kristie's mom to go check up on Kristie. >> For what reason? >> Maybe it's the ultimate revenge cuz it. seems like he has this venomous hatred. towards Kristie's family. >> Wait, wait, wait. But, what warn.

what made him decide to. call wellness call like just out of. nowhere in the morning? >> Yeah, so he said that he hasn't been. able to get in contact with his wife and. it's weird because they had a stalker. So, if they could just go check, he's at. work right now. He left work earlier. this morning, she was dropping off the. kids. >> He called the the neighbor, the mom, and. the police. >> Mhm. And he's like, "It's probably not thing, but like just in case.". >> Can I get a. uh. either someone in in the house to to.

check in with Martinez or maybe both. Maybe a wellness check at the house. >> Yeah, we can go check the house. >> She texted me like. I don't know, three-ish hours ago. >> All right. And then you said this was a. Is this like a case for somebody. threatening. you guys? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Uh. Martinez knows. knows all of this. Uh. we have both been targeted uh by a. stalker. Uh threats have been made. against my life.

>> Okay. >> Uh and and threatening to like kidnap. her, which is why I'm. >> Yeah. >> I'm nervous that she's not answering me. >> If you hear from her before then or. something changes, just give us a call. back, okay? >> I can't focus here at the office. I'm. going to be wrapping up as fast as. possible and and and heading home. >> Okay. >> It It takes me 45 minutes. >> Okay. All right, sounds good. >> I'm I'm on my way there. >> Okay. We'll let them know and we'll have. an officer call you, okay? >> Okay, thank you. >> I don't know. For someone who's planning. doing this for so long, there's also.

very dumb. Like everything he does is. like. >> There were also messages from Cristie's. phone that morning that she was killed. One of them was to Daniel. That was sent. after she was killed. Right, which How's. that possible? He's out of the house. He. gets a text message when he's at work. from Cristie. Those are all scheduled. There was one scheduled to be sent out. to Detective one to her dad. All of them pre-scheduled. You can. schedule text messages on Cristie's. phone and someone had scheduled those. messages. Who would it be if not Daniel. because that needs to point to these.

messages were sent once he was out of. the house. >> Mhm. >> If the police didn't realize that these. text messages were scheduled, they could. have believed that Daniel was out of the. house and Cristie was still alive inside. the house. Then you factor in some. really dumb stuff. The day day Cristie's. murder, he's Googling how long At least. he spelled how correctly, but how long. can you be unconscious without brain. damage? How hard a hit for head trauma. to go unconscious? How hard would you. have to hit someone in the head to make. them unconscious? Do people really go. unconscious when hit in the head? What.

happens when you're hit in the head? The. picture of Daniel getting out of his car. at work that the stalker took of him, data forensics were able to uncover that. it was. on selfie timer mode. I guess the metadata can show if it was. like taken with the front camera, the. back camera, like selfie mode, front. camera on a timer. >> Yeah, that was my question. So, he put. put a little. >> Yeah. He bought a burner phone, but he buys it. not with a credit card, but with a gift. card. That gift card is registered to. himself.

When he first starts messaging. Kristelle, because she doesn't respond. to that first message of like, "Hey, it's Anthony, right?". >> Mhm. >> He didn't know if the message was going. through, so he decides to text himself. from the burner phone and just the word. test. He responds back Yeah. All the messages. being sent, the emails being created, the emails being sent, they're all being. sent from the IP address at Daniel's. workplace, the Department of Public. Health in Colorado. When authorities. confront Daniel about it, he just says. it doesn't make any sense. The Wi-Fi, we. have public access and everybody knows. the passwords.

>> The Gmail account that you guys. initially received with the photo of you. in it, >> Uh-huh. >> and the the phone number, those originated through their IP. addresses. >> Uh-huh. >> at your office. >> It doesn't make any sense. >> Well, he took the photo of me at my office. Right. >> But nobody believes him. >> Yeah. >> The trial takes place, and if you had. any questions about how evil this guy.

is, even during the trial, the impact. statements, this is when Kristelle's. family is they're going to come up and. tell the judge about how this has. impacted their lives so that the judge. can be more thorough with sentencing. Daniel is telling his parents on the. phone that during sentencing they should. be able to give impact statements. So, Daniel's family are allowed to give. like character statements. They're not. allowed to like give impact statements. in that sense. >> Right. >> Because. the people impacted by the crime are.

supposed to give impact statements. >> Under the terms of the law, you are family members of the victim. You lost. a daughter-in-law. My brothers lost a sister-in-law. You. should all be allowed to speak. if you choose. >> Why does he want them to talk? >> Probably to say nice things about him, too. And also, it's just like such a slap in. the face to Kristiel's family. They lost. a daughter and a sister. What do you.

mean you lost a daughter-in-law? You. lost a sister-in-law. You should be able. to talk. >> Yeah. And what's the parents' reaction. to that? >> Oh, he continues, though. >> Joe said you might be allowed to speak. on my behalf. Whether it's my behalf or Kristiel's, I. don't care. The point is. you. deserve to be recognized as the victims'. family. that has been denied to me.

since the day she died. >> The mom looks hesitant and she says, "Do. you want her family to even hear us?". >> Yes. You lost Kristiel. just like I did. The loss isn't theirs alone. So, yes. I would like you to speak.

if. you're willing and able. >> This is after he's found guilty. >> Yeah. I just think everyone involved. [ __ ] hates Daniel. Even the police. officers, and again, this is not like me. commenting police officers. I think that. they're doing their job. I think that's. their job, right? There's nothing to. praise there. But there are moments in. the body cam. The arresting officers are. searching through his car, and one of. them is reading through his journal. briefly. Just to quote, make sure was he. going to off himself or some [ __ ] I got. to look. And he's like reading through. the journal. And the other cop is like, is there a confession in there? No. And.

they're both disappointed. >> Off himself or some. >> Is there a confession in there? >> No. >> Also, before the arrest, the it's like. kind of comical in the only sense. because we need Daniel but nothing else. And like I guess the only thing that's. like okay, some relief, is one of the. cops is like, once he does the stop cuz. they're going to arrest Daniel in his. car. They're like, once he does the. stop, we're going to flip the [ __ ].

>> So yeah, once he does a stop, we're. going to flip a [ __ ]. >> So they're like getting pumped to arrest. Daniel. I don't know if they're just. like. >> See, they pulled him over like a at a. >> Yeah. >> stop sign? >> No, so he was going to his daughter's. recital and they bombarded him in the. parking lot when he was by himself, thankfully not with the kids. So they got him. It's like every tone of. all the police officers working this. case, they just hate the guy. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, they're just so ready to. >> Mhm. >> The jury has deliberated for a day and a.

half. They concluded that Daniel would. be found guilty of murder in the first. degree, stalking and extreme emotional. distress, stalking with credible threat, and criminal impersonation. He will be. sentenced to life in prison without the. possibility of parole. The whole time during the conviction. >> [music]. >> and the sentencing, Anthony was there. The guy that he tried to frame. >> Wow. >> Detective Martinez states that this case. has haunted me since it occurred. And. the outcome of the case has haunted me.

for the past 2 years. Kristiel's parents have given some grace. stating that it's not really Detective. Martinez's fault. They think inevitably, I think he was going to kill her. When. someone sets their mind to do something. like that, and that's what the plan was, I don't think that would have stopped. the murder from happening. Anthony also, he was interviewed and he. said that the morning that he went to go. buy that sweatshirt from Kohl's, he now thinks that it was Kristiel. sending him a message. Because it was just so random. Like, he.

didn't really need a sweatshirt. It was. just kind of like a he just felt the. urge. >> [music]. >> to go buy a sweatshirt. >> Yeah. >> The receipt for that would be his. ultimate alibi. And so with that, [music] that is the case of Kristiel. Krug. I saw a lot of people saying this was. like the smartest, most calculated. murder in history. I think there was just a lot of effort. put in, but it wasn't I think Daniel. would get off on being called smart and. calculated. I think he's a bozo. I think. he sucks at acting. And I think.

ultimately, he deserves everything. that's going to come to him in prison. >> And during all of those calls, he just. the whole time he's saying he's he. didn't do it. >> And he's mad that he thinks someone is. taking his valuable coins. He thinks the. police stole a ring, the credit card. information. What are your thoughts on. this case? Let me know in the comments, and I will see you in the next one.