316. The Bizarre Stalking of Kristil Krug

Summary

---

Murder With My Husband – Episode 316: The Bizarre Stalking of Kristil Krug

Date: April 13, 2026
Hosts: Peyton (A) and Garrett Moreland (B)

Overview

This episode tells the harrowing true crime story of Kristeel Krug, a mother of three from Broomfield, Colorado, who endured months of escalating harassment by someone posing as a high school ex-boyfriend—only for the case to take an irrevocable and tragic twist. The hosts break down the timeline of events, the investigation, and the chilling realization that not all stalkers are who they seem. The episode also discusses legal and social implications for stalking victims.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction & Context (02:20–05:11)

• The episode opens with light banter and a brief personal update before Peyton introduces the case and reads out the sources.
• Peyton sets the stage: "But for most of us, this ends up being a little story we could share later. We never expect those awkward little encounters from someone from our past to be something that changes our lives forever. And yet that was the case with 44 year old Kristeel Krug." (05:55)
• Kristeel Krug is depicted as a multi-talented, beloved woman with a successful career and family in Colorado.

The “Blast from the Past” Turns to Stalking (10:55–14:04)

• October 2, 2023: Kristeel receives a text from “Anthony, AKA Jack Holland,” her ex from over 20 years ago:

  “Hope it’s okay I looked you up. I go to Boulder every few weeks and thought we could hook up. You game?” (11:10)

• Her ex had occasionally reached out in previous years, sometimes crossing a line in his messages.
• Kristeel had even deleted her Facebook in 2016 to avoid his advances.

Escalation & Threats (14:05–16:21)

• Next day, the messages escalate:

  “You should kill yourself. Don’t waste my time.” (14:24)

• Anthony’s messages become aggressive and disturbing, with explicit photos and menacing, situation-aware texts (“Saw you at the dentist. See you soon.”)—and even a photo of Kristeel’s husband, Daniel, at work.

Turning to Police (16:22–18:14)

• By the end of October, Kristeel goes to police with meticulously documented details of the harassment.
• The hosts critically discuss delays in processing digital evidence:

  "It can escalate so quickly... like a DV situation that can pretty quickly, all of a sudden someone can end up dead. Same thing with stalking.” – Garrett (17:38)

A Race Against Time (18:15–21:05)

• Warrants to major telecoms for evidence are slow to process ("It can take them weeks, if not months..."), leaving Kristeel vulnerable.
• She begins carrying a handgun, takes safety classes, installs cameras, and hires a private investigator.

The Murder of Kristeel Krug (21:06–26:16)

• December 14, 2023: Daniel calls police for a welfare check when Kristeel doesn’t answer his calls.
• Officer finds Kristeel dead in the garage:

  “...unmoving and currently bleeding, on the floor of her garage with a wound to her head.” (24:16)

• Medical examiner: blunt force trauma and stabbing.

Investigation: The Search for the Stalker (26:17–31:46)

• Anthony Holland, the high school ex, is located in Utah with a solid alibi.
• “[Anthony] has a receipt from Kohl’s dated that same day... no way he could have driven to Colorado and back in time.” (28:41)
• Companies provide digital evidence after Kristeel’s murder—emails and texts came from the IP address of Daniel’s workplace:

  “The stalker used an IP address that was, quote, similar to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment building.” (31:16)

The Husband’s Deception Revealed (31:47–41:40)

• Daniel becomes combative in police interviews once confronted with the new evidence.
• Upon deeper investigation, their marriage was troubled—Kristeel had considered divorce, and the couple slept separately.
• Daniel had created burner phones, fake emails, and conducted incriminating Google searches:

  “...not only had Daniel created fake email accounts to disguise himself as Anthony... he also had burner phones which he used to torment his wife.” (37:51)

• He staged photos and scheduled texts to try to create a false alibi.

The Murder Unraveled (40:25–42:48)

• Detailed timeline reconstructed:
  • Daniel attacks Kristeel as she returns from school drop-off, disables cameras, schedules fake texts, and leaves for work after cleaning up.
  • Daniel calls police at noon, posing as a concerned husband.

The Aftermath: Arrest, Motive, and Trial (42:49–46:16)

• Daniel Krug is arrested and charged with murder, criminal impersonation, and stalking.
• Motive explored: His intention to “win Kristeel over” through the stalking goes awry. As suspicion grew, he killed her to cover his tracks.
• Testimony reveals a pattern of manipulative behavior in past relationships.

  “[A] former girlfriend testified that he kind of done a similar thing to her... he created fake online Personas to harass me after we broke up.” (44:49)

• The outcome:

  “44 year old Daniel Krug was found guilty of first degree murder, stalking, and criminal impersonation.” (45:57)

Calls for Change: Kristiel’s Law & Resources (46:17–47:49)

• Family advocates for “Kristiel’s Law” to require faster compliance for search warrants in stalking and DV cases (within 48 hours).
• Victim resources provided: Stalking Prevention Awareness Resource Center, GoFundMe for the family.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stalking & Victimization:

  “Stalking just seems like a word, right? People are like, come on, it’s like, oh, stalking. But stalking is so scary. I don’t think you understand the gravity of a situation.” – Peyton (22:07)

• On Investigation Delays:

  “If these companies had just responded to these warrants faster, they would have realized that these texts were not coming from Eagle Mountain, Utah, but from her husband’s place of work.” – Peyton (31:46)

• Final Confrontation:

  “Do you want to tell your kids that you killed their mother, or do you want someone else to do it?” – Police to Daniel (42:41)

• On the Ripple Effect:

  "There’s always more than one victim." – Peyton (47:57)

• On Prevention:

  "Kristiel’s law would try to prevent these specific delays... within 48 hours... specifically in the case of domestic violence and stalking." – Peyton (46:17)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |:--------------------------------------|:-----------------| | Case introduction | 05:55 | | First message from "Anthony" | 10:55 – 11:10 | | Escalation of threats | 14:24 | | Kristeel's approach to police | 16:21 – 18:14 | | Discussion of police & tech delays | 17:10 – 18:14 | | Discovery of murder | 24:16 – 24:36 | | Investigation focuses on ex-boyfriend | 27:00 – 30:30 | | Digital trail leads to the husband | 31:16–31:47 | | Husband’s staged stalking revealed | 37:51 – 41:40 | | Arrest of Daniel Krug | 42:38 – 42:48 | | Verdict and Kristiel’s Law | 45:57 – 47:49 |

---

Tone & Language

Peyton’s delivery is compassionate, empathetic, and detailed, focusing on Kristeel’s humanity and the social implications of stalking, while Garrett provides grounded, emotional reactions and challenging questions (“Why not just leave?”). The episode balances factual reporting with advocacy for better protection and justice for victims.

---

Summary

This episode provides a gripping, step-by-step account of a stalking case with an unexpected perpetrator. Through detailed storytelling and discussion, the hosts highlight the seriousness of stalking, the failures in response systems, and the devastating effect of manipulation and domestic betrayal. Important lessons about digital forensics, law enforcement procedure, and victim advocacy are drawn out, ending with a plea for more robust, swift responses to prevent similar tragedies.

---

Transcript

[A]

Right. We're getting into an ad and it is Shopify and I'm going to let Garrett take it away because he is probably Shopify's number one fan.

[B]

I have been using Shopify before I was born. No, honestly, I've been using Shopify for seven years now. I want to say I've been using it for a long time. I feel like I'd consider myself a Shopify expert at this point. But we love Shopify. We still use Shopify. They amount of tools and features they have are amazing. For me, it's that it's super easy to use. If you want to sell anything online at all, Shopify is going to be the place to do this. You really need to check out Shopify. Shopify is your commerce expert with world class expertise and everything from managing inventory to international shipping to processing returns and beyond. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their shop pay button. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify. Go to shopify.com husband that's shopify.com husband.

[A]

You know, I was on Instagram the other day and someone asked where my glasses are from and I was like, oh my gosh. This is the perfect time to tell them that they are from Warby Parker and we have a code. I'm obsessed with Warby Parker. Nothing comes close on quality price selection. I also love the virtual try on. It is a total game changer. You can literally try on glasses from your phone before you buy them. It's kind of wild how well it actually works. I've tried other virtual try ons that feel pretty janky, but with Warby Parker you can genuinely tell how the frames are going to look and fit. I have so many different styles from Warby Parker and I've been shopping with them since before they were a sponsor. So thank you, Warby Parker.

[B]

Warby Parker gives you quality and better looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the going price. Our listeners get 15% off plus free shipping when they buy two or more pairs of prescription [e-mail] husband. That's 15% off when you buy two pairs of glasses at w a r b y parker.com husband after you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you. Murder with My Husband.

[A]

You're listening to an ONO media podcast. Hey everybody. Welcome back to the podcast. This is Murder with My Husband. I'm Peyton Moreland.

[B]

And I'm Garrett Moreland.

[A]

And he's the husband and I'm the husband.

[B]

Good morning, good afternoon, good night.

[A]

What you love to say?

[B]

It just depends. Maybe someone's listening in the morning. Maybe they're listening at nighttime. Maybe it's middle of afternoon. Never know.

[A]

Hey, you know, maybe they're up on the moon listening.

[B]

You never know. Maybe someone in the. The spacecraft right now is listening. Where is the cr. I want to hear the craziest place. You're listening to the podcast or watching the podcast?

[A]

Yeah. Like, if you think it's wild, like, I.

[B]

You're on top of Mount Everest. Currently watching on Netflix right now with Starlink. Like, that would. That would win the cake anyways, but we can go a little smaller, so if there's any other crazy ones, let me know. Thanks for being here. Thank you for supporting us. Tired. Not gonna lie. I need to drink some caffeine or something. Wake me up.

[A]

I'm not gonna lie. Garrett's been like, I feel bad.

[B]

There ain't no rest for the wicked.

[A]

Because you guys know the bagel shop's getting closer. And when I tell you Garrett has done, like. Has. Has just done this by himself.

[B]

Okay. Yeah, yeah, no, I know.

[A]

Just let me brag for a minute.

[B]

You know, I appreciate it, baby, so much, honey.

[A]

Like, he. He just. He just. He's a man of many talents. You're in everything bagel.

[B]

Thanks, baby.

[A]

You can do it all. And so he's been doing it all, and he has been so busy. He's been gone all day long.

[B]

It's crazy.

[A]

It's pretty amazing.

[B]

I appreciate that, baby. I'm really excited. I don't know if you saw, the grand opening is April 25, so for anyone in Utah, please come check it out. Yeah, I mean, recipes. I. I'm gonna stop. Busy working a lot. Loving it. I'm excited. Please come by the bagel shop if you like bagels. I hope you guys like the bagels. If not, then just lie to me. I don't just lie. Lie straight to my face. Do not tell me they're bad. I do not wanna hear it. He's.

[A]

He's put a little too much effort in this.

[B]

It'll send me overboard. It'll send me overboard, but I'm excited. And also really important to me is, like, treating the employees right. I'm trying to pay a way above standard. Like, all of our employees are making between 20 and 25 an hour. The average is gonna be like 22

[A]

an hour for our state. Because that does.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, that's true. First day. I feel like that's really above average. I feel like everyone's like 15 to like 1612. Anyways, I'm kind of ranting, but I just think it's important to pay people fair wages and so I'm trying to do that and be profitable and have a good store at the same time. So also healthy ingredients, really healthy. So yeah, that's what I got. That's my plug. That. Oh, that'll be my 10 seconds because that was kind of long. But thanks for bragging, baby.

[A]

It is. You're. You know, he was the same way with the podcast. I don't know if you've all been here since the beginning, but it was very much a just a two man show, really. Just a one man show of Garrett behind the scenes.

[B]

No.

[A]

Making this okay. The content, yes. But I mean Garrett was the whole business and all of it behind and didn't love having any help or any outside hands on it, which has served us well moving forward. And he's been the exact same with the bagel shop.

[B]

Kind of has served us well.

[A]

It has. I think it will serve you well with the bagel shop too. Hard work and like dedication and passion. It's a talent. You have a talent for it and it's amazing.

[B]

Thanks, baby. Anyways, Pton, I got distracted in the middle. I don't remember where we left off. So we're going to hop into today's case.

[A]

All right, you guys. Our sources for this episode are abc news.go.com katu.com the Hindustan Times, District Attorney Adams and Broomfield, Colorado, denver7.com nbc4i.com oxygen.com newsday.com hing cares.com NBC news.com ksat.com broomfield enterprise.com people.com klcc.org apnews.com, cbs news.com, stalkingawareness.org and sacb.com I don't know about you, but is there a chance you have someone from your past that feels like a bit of a wild card? Maybe an old roommate, an ex partner, a high school acquaintance, Someone that will check in randomly either for a favor or to meet up for coffee? Someone that when you see their name pop up on your phone, you wonder what sort of drama is headed your way. But for most of us, this ends up being a little story we could share later. We never expect those awkward little encounters from someone from our past to be something that changes our lives forever. And yet that was the case with 44 year old Kristeel Krug. When someone from Kristeel's past reappeared, it probably felt like an inconvenience at first, an uncomfortable blast from the past. But what came next in this case was a never ending flood of disturbing messages, photos and threats, and a horrifying truth that no one ever saw coming. So for this episode, I am taking you to Broomfield, Colorado. This is a small city nestled between Denver and Boulder. And this is where in 2023, so not too long ago, 44 year old Christeel Krug calls home. Now, Christeel is someone I would call a jack of all trades. She's a mother of three at this point, ages 14, 11 and 8. She is a talented dancer. She loves to work on old cars, and she is a biochemical engineer by trade. Okay, so she's really the kind of person who could do anything they set their mind to and always doing it with a smile. Those who knew Christeel described her as someone who was known for her quote, kindness, generosity, and infectious laughter. She was the person everyone wanted to be around. Christeel had spent her entire life in Colorado. She was actually born in Boulder on November 24, 1980. And it was pretty clear from a young age that Christeel was going to be this multifaceted person. She showed an interest in the arts and sciences pretty early on. She was given an academic scholarship to the Colorado School of Mines. This is a public research university where she began studying for her biochemical engineering degree before eventually transferring to the University of Colorado, which was in Boulder. After graduating, she went on to get a job at a place called Agilent Technologies. They basically make scientific instruments, software, lab supplies, that sort of thing that I could never understand or do. I probably wouldn't even be able to read a manual. And she worked there for the next 19 years of her life. And when she wasn't climbing her way up this professional ladder, Christeel spent a lot of time with her father working on old classic muscle cars in his garage. They would fix them up and then race them together. And it was something that they had bonded over all throughout Crystal's life. It was in that garage that Christy also eventually confided in her father, told him about the tough times, exciting new developments, like when she met and fell in love with a guy named Daniel Krug. And I'm not sure how the two met, but I know Daniel was a financial analyst who with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. And back in 2007, they actually decided to tie the knot. And then for the next 16 years, they went on to build a life together. Like I said, they had three children, they created a beautiful home and what many thought would actually be a happily ever after. That is, until someone from Kristeel's past came back to haunt her. And this is where we get into the meat of today's case. So on October 2, 2023, Christeel got a text message from someone that she hadn't heard from in a while. It read, quote, hope it's okay I looked you up.

[B]

Oh, no, it's not okay. No, that's not okay.

[A]

I go to Boulder every few weeks and thought we could hook up. You game, question mark? A little crazy to send a married woman, like out of the blue too.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Ok.

[A]

So the person who sent this text to her phone identified himself as Anthony, AKA Jack. Anthony Holland. Now, Jack, Anthony and Chrystel had. They did know each other. They had dated for about a year from her senior year of high school going into college. So this is definitely a blast from the past. The two had broke up back in the fall of 2000. So at this point, that's about two decades earlier. Now, this whole texting actually isn't totally shocking or even out of the blue, according to Chrysteel herself. Apparently every so often Anthony would check in with Crystal to see how things were going. It was usually on Facebook. And during these times when he would just check in as she went about life, he would sort of hint about how he was still thinking about her. She was the one who got away. He could not stop thinking about his senior year from high school.

[B]

Man. Okay, time to move on.

[A]

So according to her, this had supposedly happened once in 2005, once in 2010, and then in 2016. And presumably Christeel told Daniel, her husband, about it too, especially because she felt like there were times where his messages crossed the line. He obviously knew she was married. He's reaching out on Facebook. But he would say things like, quote, I feel like we're meant to be together when this happens again in 2023. Crystals. Obviously a little annoyed because she has told him to stop. Like when he would send messages.

[B]

That's extremely creepy.

[A]

In the past, she would tell him to stop. It actually got to the point where she even deleted her Facebook to keep it from happening because he kept reaching out via Facebook. And so she was like, you know what, 2016, I'm not using Facebook. I'm going to.

[B]

Can you imagine being married? Someone from like 20, whatever plus years ago reaches out and goes, hey, do you Want to hook up. Also, the fact that he looked her up, stalked her to find her phone number. Nah, that's not okay.

[A]

It's scary. Especially after he's been doing this for two decades.

[B]

Yeah, that's not okay.

[A]

23 years.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He's been doing this, and she's told him no and even deleted her Facebook, like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So despite this, despite her high school boyfriend just not being able to move on. According to Christeel and her family, like, when they dated in high school, they remembered him as being a kind, friendly, polite, good guy. So it's. It's not like she was, oh, this is my crazy ex from the past.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you can imagine Christeel's shock when the following day. So October 3rd, she gets another message. And this one is way more aggressive. This one definitely stops her in her tracks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This time Anthony says, quote, you should kill yourself. Don't waste my time.

[B]

Josh, what's up?

[A]

So this is a pretty explosive reaction to someone who just didn't text you back after basically ignoring you and telling you to stop on Facebook for years. But this time it's different because it doesn't stop there. Over the next few days and even weeks, Anthony's messages escalate big time. So some of the texts actually talk about getting rid of Daniel, her husband, so the two of them could finally be together. Messages from an a.holland email address sent sexually explicit photographs to Christeel's phone. And then there were messages that showed he was likely stalking her. Her saying he knew her registration stickers on her car were expired, and sending texts like, quote, saw you at the dentist. See you soon. And then came more photos, particularly one of her husband Daniel, getting out of his car at work, which showed someone was obviously taking this photo from a distance. So this is when Christeel goes to the police. This is at the end of October. This has happened all through October. Now, remember who Christeel is. She's extremely smart. She is detail oriented. So she had been keeping a log of information on this stalker, documenting every single interaction, from dates and times to forms of communication and so forth. She'd put this all together probably because she knew this day would eventually come where she would end up taking it to the police. Now, by this point, Christine says she's terrified for her safety, the safety of her family, and the police can see how serious the stalking actually is. I mean, it's like, why.

[B]

Like, why out of. Like, why out of nowhere when there's,

[A]

like, threats of hurting or killing your husband and Then a picture of your husband comes through. That's as real as it gets. And the threats are not just taking a toll on her, but on Daniel as well. He seems equally as terrified. So luckily, the police do offer to help. They say they are going to send search warrants to a few different communication companies, basically looking for a digital confirmation that Anthony Holland, her ex boyfriend from over 20 years ago, is really the person behind the stalking. And then that way they can actually get a warrant for his arrest because he has been threatening murder.

[B]

I'm actually curious. I would assume it is, but I guess you never know.

[A]

But the problem is a lot of information that was requested through those warrants doesn't come back right away. So detectives had sent the warrants on November 12th. Remember, the stalking had begun in early October. But for most of the companies that the police are reaching out to, Google, Verizon text now, they say, hey, it's going to take weeks before we can get this information to you. The information on this specific user.

[B]

We've talked about this before. I truly think stalking falls in that same. One of the most dangerous things in, like the same category as domestic, like abuse and domestic violence. Like it as in it can escalate so quickly for like a DV situation that can pretty quickly, all of a sudden someone can end up dead. Same thing with stalking. Like, if you don't get it under control, someone could die.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so it just, it's. It's. I mean, I get it, there's so much to it, but it sucks that it takes all this time to get all this information.

[A]

It's so frustrating that these companies can't just give this information over immediately. But detectives say this is not unusual when serving a search warrant to a major company like this. It can take them weeks, if not months to get the information back to police. Which means in a case like this, a stalking case, Cryste is very vulnerable. Until they had the proof to make an arrest, Christeel had to take her own measures into her own hands if she wanted to protect herself against her stalker. So she keeps maintaining that stalker log. She installed security cameras around her house. Hopefully it was simply safe. Using code husband. And after telling her father what was going on, he ends up loaning her a handgun, which she started carrying with her when she left the house. And she even started taking firearm safety classes and hired her own private investigator to start looking into. Anthony, you're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you may not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to progressive.com answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. In fact, 99% of their auto customers earn at least discount. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates national average 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary I don't know about you, but I like keeping my money where I can see it. And unfortunately traditional big wireless carriers also seem to like keeping my money too. And after years of overpaying for wireless, I finally got fed up with crazy high wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks that actually cost more in the long run. And I switched to Mint Mobile. And honestly, it was kind of crazy how Mint Mobile you're getting the same thing, if not better for a better price. So stop overpaying for wireless just because that's how it's always been. Mint exists purely to fix that. Mint Mobile is here to rescue you with premium wireless plans starting at 15 bucks a month. And you can bring your own phone and number, activate with with EIM in minutes and start saving immediately. I use this and you should too

[B]

if you like your money. Mint Mobile is for you. Shop [e-mail] MWMH that's mintmobile.com MWMH upfront payment of 45 for 3 month 5 gigabyte plan required equivalent to $15 a month new customer offer for first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra cement Mobile for details now.

[A]

Meanwhile, police were still doing what they could on their end, even going undercover to see if they could catch the stalker following Christeel and Daniel while he was in the act, because then they don't necessarily need the information from the warrants. But as time ticked on, the harassment got worse. Christeel started to understandably grow frustrated with the police's investigation, especially because she had mentioned to some friends that she truly believed someone was going to end up dead in this situation.

[B]

Same thing happens with DV situations, and

[A]

again very similar on the surface. We've talked about this before, as Garrett was saying, but stalking just seems like a word, right? People are like, come on, it's like, oh, stalking. But stalking is so scary. I don't think you understand the gravity of a situation. Can we not stalk?

[B]

Like, can we just As a society, can we not kill people? Can we, you know? No, but can. Stalking is. Blows my mind.

[A]

And it is so eerie, like, weird. It takes an. It really leaves an impact on the victim more than society, I think, addresses. Because it's again, on the outside looking, and it's like, oh, someone took a picture of your husband. But like, when you actually think about how this guy's threatening your husband's life and then it's following him around, that's actually really scary.

[B]

People are so. People are so weird.

[A]

I know.

[B]

Anyways. Okay, sorry. Keep going.

[A]

So anyways, she's telling people in her life like, this is real. This is a big deal. And I think someone's gonna end up dead. And she was gonna do everything in her power to make sure that it was not her. So by December 2023, Christeel and her family had been dealing with this harassment for two entire months. And it honestly didn't seem to be letting up. If anything, it was getting worse. So you can imagine Daniel's fears when he called Christiel on the afternoon of the 14th, and she didn't answer. So that was when Daniel called the police to say, quote, which, again, this isn't like normal behavior. Your wife doesn't answer the phone, but in this situation, they're probably being more careful than ever. So he calls the police and says, I don't think it's an emergency, but again, due to our situation, this feels really weird. My wife isn't responding to text messages or phone calls. He then asked if someone was able to go over to his house to do a welfare check on his wife while he was at work. Now, shortly thereafter, around noon, an officer named John o' Hare takes a trip to the Krugs home in Broomfield, Colorado, and he knocks on the door. There's no answer. So o' hare pulls his truck closer to the garage door, and he climbs on the hood to see if he can see in through the upper windows, like into the garage. And this is when he spots her Christeel, unmoving and currently bleeding, on the floor of her garage with a wound to her head.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

So the officer kicks open the door of the house, weapon drawn, unsure if the attacker is still inside. And when he finds the scene is all clear, he then obviously beelines to the garage to Crystal. But when he gets in there, he can tell it's too late.

[B]

Like, she's dead.

[A]

Kristiel Krug is dead on her garage floor. So the officer who was just called to do a wellness check, but knowing it was a stalker. Situation calls for backup. The medical examiner finds that Christeel was likely ambushed from behind and hit multiple times in the head with a blunt object before she was then stabbed. Stabbed in the heart. Daniel and Christeel's family are called to the scene and they feel completely certain. Obviously, there was only one person who could have done this. They have been dreading this day. Christiel's stalker, Anthony Holland. Now, meanwhile, Daniel, her husband, is an absolute mess. He's hysterical on the shoulder of a victim advocate that is at the crime scene. He's taken down to the station for questioning and he keeps insisting one thing, he wants to tell his kids about his wife's passing. He doesn't want the police to do it. So once detectives calm him down, they're able to get a little more out of him. About that morning, he's like, no, I mean, nothing stood out. Their mornings in the house were pretty routine. That day was no different. He said Chris Steele took the kids to school. She was usually home by 8am while he headed into the office around that time, as always, he said as he was driving in, his phone dinged with a message from her asking if he could pick up one of their kids after school. He said he texted back, okay, yeah, what time? But then Christyle never replied back.

[B]

So he says, I'm sorry to interrupt. I just feel like. I feel like there's gonna be a twist. You bite the. You better bite those cheeks.

[A]

I'm not.

[B]

I feel like there's gonna be a twist.

[A]

I just let you. I let you.

[B]

Okay, keep going, keep going. I'm waiting for it now.

[A]

So he's like. She never responded. He waited. He waited. And he's like. And because of our circumstance, I got nervous. I made the call to the police to do the welfare check. Now the police are thinking the same thing as the family. There's obviously one person who seems glaringly responsible for this. The person who's been threatening her life for the last couple months. Christeel's stalker. And thanks to that PI she had hired, they know where he lives in Eagle Mountain, Utah.

[B]

No way.

[A]

About an eight to nine hour drive.

[B]

I know exactly where that is.

[A]

From Broomfield, Colorado.

[B]

Wait, you. Sorry. Keep going. I keep interrupting. Nothing. Nothing.

[A]

No, you can say it.

[B]

No, I just got. My mind's moving right now.

[A]

So the police investigating Crystal's case need to contact a local sheriff's department there. They need the sheriff from Utah to go talk to him since he. I mean, on paper, he lives far away now. A few hours after Crystal's body is found, they descend on Anthony's home. And what they discover is pretty, let's just say, confusing. Anthony is home alone, watching tv, when he gets a knock on the door. When he answers, one of the first things the deputies ask him is, hey, have you heard the name Kristiel Krug before? And he's like, yeah, she was one of my first girlfriends. We broke up years ago, back in 2000. So then they asked, well, when was the last time you spoke to her? And he's like, not for years. I think 2016. He was like, that was when I last messaged her on Facebook to say that I missed her. But he couldn't understand why police were now knocking on his door in Utah, asking him about his ex girlfriend in Colorado. Now, they didn't mention at this point that Christeel had been murdered. And they're like, okay, well, where were you earlier today? He says, well, I've been mostly at home, but I did run out to Kohl's earlier because he needed a new sweatshirt.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. I. I'm not gonna say anything if you guys don't know where this is going, but this is nuts.

[A]

So deputies are like, great. Can you prove this? And he goes and gets his receipt. And sure enough, in his home, he. He has a receipt from Kohl's dated that same day. And the time of the purchase was 12:16pm this was right around the time that Christeel's body was found. Meaning there was absolutely no way he could have driven to Colorado and back in time to kill Christeel and secure that alibi for himself. This is something that's also confirmed and backed up with license plate readers and presumably surveillance video at the store. But what's interesting is Anthony said something mysteriously came over him that morning. The thought just popped up in his head. He said he got this weird, sudden urge to go buy a sweatshirt. He wasn't even planning on doing that this day. And then Anthony later said he actually believes it was Christeel's way of protecting him from beyond the grave. A way to help clear his name. Because it was now becoming obvious that Anthony Holland, like Garrett was hinting at, was most likely not the stalker. He denied playing any part in those messages, which meant this investigation was going to require some digital forensics, a search to find who was actually messaging Christeel. If it was not Anthony Holland, her real life ex boyfriend, that was in Utah. So detectives start by looking into the couple's surveillance cameras around the House, the ones that Christeel installed after the threats had began. And they find something odd. All of those cameras had actually been manually turned off the morning she died.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And the doorbell camera had been covered with blue masking tape, which is obviously creepy, but it doesn't paint the whole picture. So they move on to another angle. Specifically, they reach back out to those big companies who still haven't responded to the warrants from the stalking case. Google Verizon text now. And this time they're like, yeah, so she's been murdered. So we have exigent circumstances, meaning we've got a homicide case on our hands, and you need to make this a priority. Now, the information comes through within hours. And one of the things they learn from those warrants is the stalker used an IP address that was, quote, similar to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment building.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

And who works there? Christeel's husband, Daniel Krug. In fact, two different accounts used to harass Crystal had come from the same IP location. Which, if you're thinking it right now, I'm going to say it out loud. If these companies had just responded to these warrants faster, they would have realized that these texts were not coming from Eagle Mountain, Utah, but were coming from her husband's place of work.

[B]

I'm just so. Did he not think he was like, once they went to Utah and realized this guy didn't leave Utah, like, what did he think was going to happen? You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Maybe he was hoping that guy wouldn't go to Kohl's.

[B]

So confused. It's crazy.

[A]

I don't know. For me, it's just frustrating because it's, like, so obviously preventable. Or at least she could have protected herself from the correct person was her own husband. Yes. And it's like they. It's so obviously tied back to his place of work like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, this feels like a smoking gun. But police still have to rule out the possibility that this wasn't someone who just worked with Daniel. Maybe an enemy, maybe an affair partner. So they bring Daniel in for another round of questioning. Which is a good point. I mean, if he was fooling around with someone from work, that person could have easily been doing this. So this time, they tell her husband, hey, we actually went to Utah to confront Anthony, and he has a rock solid alibi. There is no way that this man is the one who murdered Chris Steele. And that's when Daniel's entire demeanor changes in this interview. He sits back on the couch, he crosses his arms, he begins getting defensive, a little bit combative. And as soon as he realizes what's going on, that he is now being considered a suspect in his wife's murder, he starts insisting that he had nothing to do with it. And he tells police, quote, I just want the effort to pay. He took my children's mother before Christmas. They're never going to get over that. I don't care if you capture him. I don't care if you kill him. Find him. Don't just assume it's me. Keep looking, okay? So they're like, okay, bro, enough with the drama, okay? He's like, I don't even care if you find the guy, but don't say it's me. And he's actually talking in circles because he's also like, I just want the guy to pay, but I don't care if you find him. Don't just think it's me. Like, go find him. All right, guys, we are getting into an ad and I want to talk to you about Earn in Earnan has been leading the EWA Earned wage access space for over a decade. Earning gives you access to what you've already worked for for up to $150 a day, up to $1,000 between paydays. Tips are optional and standard transfers take one to two business days with no mandatory fees. And this isn't just for emergencies. It's. It's just a smarter alternative to however else you were about to make money appear out of thin air. 5 million people are on it. It's a game changer.

[B]

Big fan of Earn In. I think waiting for a paycheck sometimes can be frustrating. That's why Earn in can pay early, pay you on time, pay after you've already earned it. You know, that's why it's called Earn In. Download earning on the App Store or Google Play spelled like earning money without the g earning. Type in Murder with my husband under podcast when you sign up. It'll really help the show. Earn an is a financial technology company, not a bank. Access limits are based on your earnings and risk factors. Standard cash outs take one to two business days with no mandatory fees. Expedited transfers available for a fee. Tips are voluntary and don't affect the service. Available in select states. Terms and restrictions apply. Visit earnin.com for full details.

[A]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Financial stress affects far more than our bank accounts. It can take a serious toll on mental health and rel. With 88% of Americans feeling some form of financial stress at the start of 2026. Money worries often bring anxiety, sleep disruption, and even depression and are one of the leading sources of conflict for couples.

[B]

Peyton and I are both big advocates for therapy. If you want to talk to somebody, something doesn't have to be wrong. You can talk to them about anything. BetterHelp is a great place to start to see if you can find a therapist that suits you. Again, we're both big bad advocates of therapy and talking to someone in general, so we recommend it.

[A]

Better help Therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the US and with over 30, 000 therapists. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 6 million people globally. So when life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10 [e-mail] husband that's better help. H E L P.com husband so they start looking closer at what was going on in the marriage, obviously prior to Christeel's death. And after speaking with Christeel's parents, they learned that this marriage wasn't great. Christeel had been sleeping on the couch for the last few months and was actually questioning her future with Daniel. She told her family that he had a really bad temper and the smallest, most random things would set him off, that she was constantly walking on eggshells around him, unsure when he was going to lose control. And according to some sources, Christeel had even started talking about divorce in the last few weeks of her life. And Christeel had begun looking into how she could get full custody of their three children. As far as I could tell, Christine never filed any official reports against Daniel for domestic abuse. So for investigators, this is pretty circumstantial at the moment. You basically just have through word of mouth that their marriage wasn't going good and she was considering divorce. But nothing really on paper to prove that, though it obviously is enough for them to keep focusing on him. And that is when they discover the burner phones.

[B]

Yeah, I figured it was either a second phone or a burner phone. I mean, obviously at this point, which

[A]

is great evidence, physical evidence.

[B]

Out of all the ways to kill your wife, pretending to be a stalker from high school that lives in a

[A]

different state, you're not.

[B]

And why, like, leave? I never understand this. Just leave. Like, if you really don't want to be with that person, leave.

[A]

So their digital forensics expert found that not only had Daniel created fake email accounts to disguise himself as Anthony, which were created on a Password protected network at his office. Mind you, he also had burner phones which he used to torment his wife. Phones that were tied to a Visa gift card that was registered in Daniel's name. I mean, he just. Yeah, they also discovered Google searches on his devices in the days leading up to the murder. Things like, quote, when is a head injury a cause for concern? Quote, how hard would you have to hit someone in the head to make them unconscious? Quote, how long can you be unconscious without brain damage? So what, those. Honestly, those are crazy.

[B]

Those are in.

[A]

Yeah, but they don't feel like murder.

[B]

Almost like he wanted to knock her out.

[A]

Yes. Yeah, which was just a little strange. I don't know. I mean, the police were probably hoping for our typical Google searches of like, where to find a shovel and. Yeah, how do you bury a human body?

[B]

Clean up after you kill somebody.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Either way, they're still not great considering that she died of being hit in the head. So as far as how he pulled some of these things off, like the creepy photos of himself, if you remember. Well, the digital forensics expert found that that photo was taken in selfie mode using a timer. It was propped up on a car next to him. Set. And then Daniel staged it to look like he was getting out of his car while the photo was taken. And then he sent it to his own wife using a burner phone. But the bigger question for detectives was how did his wife send him a text from her phone after he had already left for the day? Because, remember, he claims, I left and then she texted me and he never came back. Well, on the day of the murder, surveillance cameras caught him leaving for work a little later than usual around 8:24. This is 30 minutes later than when he initially told police he left for work just before Christiel came home at 8am plus, the digital investigator found Christeel had a feature on her phone that would allow her to schedule texts to be sent, meaning they could be pre typed and then timed to automatically send to someone else's phone later on.

[B]

And he put so much work into this.

[A]

And that is exactly what Daniel did using Christeel's phone after she died. So here is how investigators think this entire thing played out. Around 8am that morning, after dropping her kids off at school, Christeel pulled into her garage where her husband was waiting to attack her. Once she got out of her car, he ambushed her, hitting her in the head multiple times with a blunt object before flipping her around and stabbing her in the heart.

[B]

Gosh, dude, why?

[A]

And then he Took her phone. He scheduled some texts to go out. One to himself, one to a detective investigating her stalking case, and then one to a family member. All of this to create an alibi for himself, as in, she was still alive after he had left. And then around 8:15am he used Crystal's phone to disable the home security cameras. He covered the doorbell camera with tape. He got into his car and then disabled his own dashboard camera, Might I add. He then stopped for coffee and headed to work for the day.

[B]

I'm just trying to figure out, why did he just not like his wife? Like what? What's going on?

[A]

All of this while his wife is bleeding out on his garage floor at 8:56am he gets that scheduled message from Crystal to create the illusion that she was still alive, even though investigators later found the last time her device was used was actually 8:22am a half hour before. And then he called the police around 12pm to say, Hey, I haven't heard back from my wife that she has a stalker. I'm worried. Can you go do a welfare check? This way they would find her body, and he would look like an innocent, grieving husband. So two days after Christeel's death on December 16, 2023, two days, police have a warrant for Daniel's arrest. They follow him with eight police cars to a grocery store parking lot. They ambush him as he's getting out of his car, and that is when one of the detectives asks him this quote.

[B]

Do you want me to tell your kids that you killed their mother, or do you want somebody else to?

[A]

Do you want to tell your kids that you killed their mother, or do you want someone else to do it?

[B]

That's so cool. So after, I mean, horrible. Absolutely horrendous that their kids have to figure out that their dad killed their mom.

[A]

It's ironic, to say the least. So Daniel was charged with first degree murder, criminal impersonation, and stalking and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. But one of the bigger questions in this case, Garrett just asked, why. Why did he do it? Why go about it in the way he did? Well, the theory is Daniel was actually trying to win Christeel over, that this didn't start as a murder plan, just as a way to be her knight in shining armor. He wanted to be there for her in this time of need, but over time, it added more stress and tension to their relationship.

[B]

Okay, then stop doing.

[A]

The theory is he had started doing the stalking to try to reconnect with Crystal, but it didn't do what he

[B]

wanted or like, just stop.

[A]

Yeah. And eventually, police believe Crystal even started to suspect that maybe Daniel was behind some of this. Daniel told police in his first interview that Christeel had said to him, quote, I can't even rule you out as the stalker. And when she went to the police and they started an investigation into the stalking, that's when Daniel realized how that he was losing control of the situation because they had just put a warrant out to figure out where these texts were coming from. And he knows they weren't coming from Eagle Mountain, Utah. So he figured it was only a matter of time before he was exposed. And the only way to keep this secret was to silence the one person who suspected him. And, yeah, that was Christeel. Maybe if she died, they wouldn't even look into the stalking anymore. So Daniel's trial began in April of 2025. Obviously, the prosecution paints the picture. I just told you that he had created the stalker to win over his wife, and then it backfired. And actually, I find this interesting, so I want to include it at trial. A former girlfriend testified that he kind of done a similar thing to her. So she gets on the stand and is like, he created fake online Personas to harass me after we broke up. So he's. He's definitely done this whole pretend to be someone else to try to accomplish something with my person of interest. Obviously, the defense tries to argue the possibility that Christy was having an affair, maybe with someone that he worked with, and that was the person that attacked her. And that's why the messages came from there. They also mentioned the possibility that someone other than her husband was the stalker. The problem with this case was there was no physical evidence that connected Daniel to the murder. As far as there was like, her blood wasn't found with him. There was no murder weapon.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[A]

Honestly, if it weren't for the stalking, like proving that it came from him, he probably would have got away with it.

[B]

It's a good point.

[A]

But after three weeks of testimony, the jurors went to deliberate. 44 year old Daniel Krug was found guilty of first degree murder, stalking, and criminal impersonation. Now, as of January 2026, some of Crystal's family in Oregon was working with lawmakers to try and pass Christie's law.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

They believed that if the warrants were acted on sooner. Yeah, the ones sent to places like Google and Verizon, Crystal might still be alive today. If they hadn't taken weeks to process, Christine might have gotten confirmation that her husband was her stalker and would have been able to take the proper measures to ensure her safety. So Christeel's law would try to prevent these specific delays. It would require communication companies to return search warrants within 48 hours of receiving them, specifically in the case of domestic violence and stalking. So if. If you're doing a warrant to a communication company and it has anything to do with stalking, domestic violence, they have to do it fast.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

This could lead to a lot of saved lives. Honestly, if you or someone you know is a victim of stalking, there are resources to help. You can contact the stalking prevention awareness and resource center at 1-85-5-4, victim. And if you feel like you are in immediate danger, obviously, please call 91 1. And if Christie's story moved you today, her family has actually set up a GoFundMe page, which you can find linked in the episode description that's on any audio platform. Again, just a way to be able to listen to this case and also, you know, do our part to try and help. All right, you guys. And that was the murder of Kristeel Krug.

[B]

Just crazy. You know, these kids have to grow up without a mom, without a dad again. I hate the domino effect. I hate it.

[A]

There's always more than one victim.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Thank you guys so much for listening to today's episode. And we will see you next time with another one. I love it.

[B]

I hate it.

[A]

Goodbye.