Colorado man gets life in prison for killing his wife after posing as ex-boyfriend and stalking her

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Colorado man gets life in prison for killing his wife after posing as ex-boyfriend and stalking her

2025-04-19 07:16 Last Updated At：07:21

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday for stalking his wife while posing as her ex-boyfriend and then murdering her, acts that the woman's father said were “pure selfish evil” that have robbed the couple's three children of their parents.

The mandatory sentence came a day after jurors found Daniel Krug, 44, guilty of first-degree murder for killing Kristil Krug shortly before Christmas in 2023, as well as criminal impersonation and stalking that had made her fear for her family.

The couple’s children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife, with help from their extended family, including her father, Lars Grimsrud.

“Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud told Judge Priscilla Loew before the sentence was imposed.

With his marriage to Kristil Krug falling apart, prosecutors said Daniel Krug decided to play “puppet master” by scaring his wife and then trying to win her back by protecting her from the fake stalking, uniting them against a common threat.

Kristil Krug kept a log tracking the increasingly threatening texts and emails that suggested she was being watched. As police investigated the messages, prosecutors said Daniel Krug began to realize that he could face criminal charges and started plotting how to kill his wife to silence her and because she didn’t want to be with him anymore.

Prosecutors said he waited for her to return to their suburban Denver home on Dec. 14, 2023, after taking two of their children to school, attacked her from behind and knocked her unconscious before stabbing her in the heart.

At the time of the killing, the ex-boyfriend was an eight-hour drive away in Utah, where he was living, according to investigators.

The defense stressed there was no physical evidence or DNA linking him to the violent killing, noting that there was no blood found in his car or his clothes.

Kristil Krug, a biochemical engineer who also was a talented dancer, was described by family and friends as “fiercely smart,” funny and creative.

Her cousin, Becky Ivanoff, said Friday that Daniel Krug had “ripped a gaping hole in the hearts of everyone who loved her.”

“The depths of depravity, the manipulation he displayed in torturing Kristil and her children knew no bounds, and the terror he inflicted on her and her children is unimaginable,” she said.

At the request of prosecutors, Loew found that Daniel Krug’s crimes were acts of domestic violence. In addition to the life sentence imposed for the murder conviction, Loew also added another 9 ½ years to his sentence for the stalking and criminal impersonation convictions.

District Attorney Brian Mason said the motive was “control,” saying Daniel Krug’s actions were “an example of depravity.”

Krug chose not to speak before he was sentenced. His older brother Jeremy Krug was the only person to address the judge from his side of the family.

Jeremy Krug said the family had held out hope that someone else was responsible for what happened and did not learn of the evidence linking his brother to the crimes until the trial. He expressed grief for the couple's children and said he hoped his own children would be able to see their cousins.

“We love him and God forgive him what he’s done,” he said.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.