FORT COLLINS, CO – A Colorado husband facing charges in the murder of his wife is at the center of a courtroom drama as prosecutors detail his alleged ploy to disguise himself as a stalking ex-boyfriend, a deception that tragically ended with her death.
Daniel Krug, 44, stands accused of murdering Kristil Krug, 43, in a case that prosecutors paint as an intricate web of deceit, highlighted by a digital trail of fabricated threats. Authorities allege that Krug impersonated his wife’s former boyfriend through a series of menacing text messages, intensifying her fears that she was being stalked. This elaborate scheme ended violently when Kristil was discovered beaten and stabbed in her garage on December 14, 2023.
In the courtroom, Senior Deputy District Attorney Kate Armstrong delivered opening statements that portrayed a deteriorating marriage overshadowed by suspicion and fear. Armstrong conveyed to jurors that Kristil had started to piece together the unsettling situation, suspecting her husband as the orchestrator of the terrifying messages, according to sources familiar with the case.
Investigators have revealed that Kristil Krug’s relationship with the supposed ex-boyfriend ended in 2000. While crude texts from him surfaced sporadically over the years, Kristil reportedly did not express serious alarm until the messages became frequent in 2023, prompting her to file a police report on October 31, 2023. The texts detailed intimate knowledge of the Krug household, insinuating constant surveillance.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives traced the origin of the harassing messages back to an IP address linked to Daniel Krug’s workplace. Further evidence suggested that Krug procured a burner phone with a gift card in his name to facilitate the deception.
Security footage from the Krug home revealed cameras that had been tampered with—tape was found over the lenses, and the Ring camera had been disabled. Daniel Krug offered no credible explanation for these anomalies when questioned by police.
In contrast, defense attorney Joe Morales has challenged the prosecution’s narrative, arguing that the investigation was flawed and pointing out that police failed to dust Kristil’s phone for fingerprints. He emphasized uncertainties, like DNA found on the tape over the camera that did not match Krug.
Despite these claims, Armstrong pointed out inconsistencies in Krug’s behavior. She alleged that even after Kristil’s death, Krug tried to steer detectives towards the ex-boyfriend, who had a solid alibi being out of state. When confronted, Krug reportedly rolled his eyes and remarked, “It’s always the husband,” an indication of his nonchalance, according to Armstrong.
With the trial scheduled to continue until April 18, the courtroom awaits more revelations in a case marked by a tragic blend of deception and domestic turmoil.
