Topline: A Denver-area man received a life sentence without parole for murdering his wife after a jury found him guilty of posing as her ex-boyfriend, stalking, and killing her.
Published: September 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
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Daniel Krug, left, and his wife Kristil Krug, who he is convicted of murdering (via Broomfield Police Department and Krug family)
BROOMFIELD, CO — A Colorado man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for stalking his wife while posing as her ex-boyfriend and then killing her.
The mandatory life sentence came a day after a jury found Daniel Krug, 44, guilty of first-degree murder for killing Kristil Krug, according to a press release from the Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney’s Office. He was also convicted of criminal impersonation and stalking.
Prosecutors said a digital data trail led them to Daniel Krug after he posed as his wife’s ex-boyfriend in text messages. The chilling texts made Kristil Krug fear she was being stalked. After months of receiving the messages, she was found beaten and stabbed to death in the garage of her home on December 14, 2023.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Kate Armstrong told jurors the Krugs’ marriage was “all but over,” as Kristil Krug received the texts, according to KUSA 9 News.
Kristil Krug began to suspect her husband was behind the messages. “She was putting the pieces together, and he was running out of time,” Armstrong said.
Investigators said Kristil Krug and her ex-boyfriend, who supposedly sent the texts, had not dated since 2000. Kristil Krug had never expressed concern about the random messages she had received from him over the years.
According to authorities, Kristil Krug’s mother said her daughter was planning to divorce her husband, accusing him of being “sometimes rough with the kids.”
The 2023 texts, which Kristil Krug initially believed were from her ex-boyfriend, indicated she and her husband were being watched. The messages became frightening enough for her to file a police report on October 31, 2023.
Police suspected Daniel Krug was sending the messages after they connected the IP address from the texts to his workplace. They said he also used a burner phone that he bought with a gift card registered to his name.
As the investigation continued, prosecutors said Daniel Krug realized he could face charges and began plotting to kill his wife to silence her.
Prosecutors claim he waited for her to return to their home after taking two of their children to school. He then attacked her from behind, knocked her unconscious, and stabbed her in the heart.
The defense stressed there was no physical evidence or DNA connecting Daniel Krug to the killing. They noted investigators found no blood in his car or on his clothes.
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
At the request of prosecutors, Judge Loew found that Daniel Krug’s crimes were acts of domestic violence. In addition to the life sentence, Loew added another 9 1/2 years for the stalking and criminal impersonation convictions. District Attorney Brian Mason said the motive was “control,” calling Daniel Krug’s actions “an example of depravity.”
Kristil Krug, a biochemical engineer, was described by her family and friends as “fiercely smart,” funny, and creative. Her cousin, Becky Ivanoff, said Daniel Krug “ripped a gaping hole in the hearts of everyone who loved her.” According to Ivanoff, 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.”
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
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 his family hoped that someone else was responsible for the crime and only learned of the evidence against his brother in the trial.
Jeremy Krug expressed grief for the children. “We love him and God forgive him what he’s done,” he said.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Colorado Man Gets Life Sentence for Stalking, Killing Wife
A Denver-area man received a life sentence without parole for murdering his wife after a jury found him guilty of posing as her ex-boyfriend, stalking, and killing her.
By Kate Byrd
Published: September 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
Daniel Krug, left, and his wife Kristil Krug, who he is convicted of murdering (via Broomfield Police Department and Krug family)
BROOMFIELD, CO — A Colorado man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for stalking his wife while posing as her ex-boyfriend and then killing her.
The mandatory life sentence came a day after a jury found Daniel Krug, 44, guilty of first-degree murder for killing Kristil Krug, according to a press release from the Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney’s Office. He was also convicted of criminal impersonation and stalking.
Prosecutors said a digital data trail led them to Daniel Krug after he posed as his wife’s ex-boyfriend in text messages. The chilling texts made Kristil Krug fear she was being stalked. After months of receiving the messages, she was found beaten and stabbed to death in the garage of her home on December 14, 2023.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Kate Armstrong told jurors the Krugs’ marriage was “all but over,” as Kristil Krug received the texts, according to KUSA 9 News.
Kristil Krug began to suspect her husband was behind the messages. “She was putting the pieces together, and he was running out of time,” Armstrong said.
Investigators said Kristil Krug and her ex-boyfriend, who supposedly sent the texts, had not dated since 2000. Kristil Krug had never expressed concern about the random messages she had received from him over the years.
According to authorities, Kristil Krug’s mother said her daughter was planning to divorce her husband, accusing him of being “sometimes rough with the kids.”
The 2023 texts, which Kristil Krug initially believed were from her ex-boyfriend, indicated she and her husband were being watched. The messages became frightening enough for her to file a police report on October 31, 2023.
Police suspected Daniel Krug was sending the messages after they connected the IP address from the texts to his workplace. They said he also used a burner phone that he bought with a gift card registered to his name.
As the investigation continued, prosecutors said Daniel Krug realized he could face charges and began plotting to kill his wife to silence her.
Prosecutors claim he waited for her to return to their home after taking two of their children to school. He then attacked her from behind, knocked her unconscious, and stabbed her in the heart.
The defense stressed there was no physical evidence or DNA connecting Daniel Krug to the killing. They noted investigators found no blood in his car or on his clothes.
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
At the request of prosecutors, Judge Loew found that Daniel Krug’s crimes were acts of domestic violence. In addition to the life sentence, Loew added another 9 1/2 years for the stalking and criminal impersonation convictions. District Attorney Brian Mason said the motive was “control,” calling Daniel Krug’s actions “an example of depravity.”
Kristil Krug, a biochemical engineer, was described by her family and friends as “fiercely smart,” funny, and creative. Her cousin, Becky Ivanoff, said Daniel Krug “ripped a gaping hole in the hearts of everyone who loved her.” According to Ivanoff, 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.”
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
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 his family hoped that someone else was responsible for the crime and only learned of the evidence against his brother in the trial.
Jeremy Krug expressed grief for the children. “We love him and God forgive him what he’s done,” he said.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Colorado Man Gets Life Sentence for Stalking, Killing Wife
A Denver-area man received a life sentence without parole for murdering his wife after a jury found him guilty of posing as her ex-boyfriend, stalking, and killing her.
By Kate Byrd
Published: September 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
Daniel Krug, left, and his wife Kristil Krug, who he is convicted of murdering (via Broomfield Police Department and Krug family)
BROOMFIELD, CO — A Colorado man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for stalking his wife while posing as her ex-boyfriend and then killing her.
The mandatory life sentence came a day after a jury found Daniel Krug, 44, guilty of first-degree murder for killing Kristil Krug, according to a press release from the Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney’s Office. He was also convicted of criminal impersonation and stalking.
Prosecutors said a digital data trail led them to Daniel Krug after he posed as his wife’s ex-boyfriend in text messages. The chilling texts made Kristil Krug fear she was being stalked. After months of receiving the messages, she was found beaten and stabbed to death in the garage of her home on December 14, 2023.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Kate Armstrong told jurors the Krugs’ marriage was “all but over,” as Kristil Krug received the texts, according to KUSA 9 News.
Kristil Krug began to suspect her husband was behind the messages. “She was putting the pieces together, and he was running out of time,” Armstrong said.
Investigators said Kristil Krug and her ex-boyfriend, who supposedly sent the texts, had not dated since 2000. Kristil Krug had never expressed concern about the random messages she had received from him over the years.
According to authorities, Kristil Krug’s mother said her daughter was planning to divorce her husband, accusing him of being “sometimes rough with the kids.”
The 2023 texts, which Kristil Krug initially believed were from her ex-boyfriend, indicated she and her husband were being watched. The messages became frightening enough for her to file a police report on October 31, 2023.
Police suspected Daniel Krug was sending the messages after they connected the IP address from the texts to his workplace. They said he also used a burner phone that he bought with a gift card registered to his name.
As the investigation continued, prosecutors said Daniel Krug realized he could face charges and began plotting to kill his wife to silence her.
Prosecutors claim he waited for her to return to their home after taking two of their children to school. He then attacked her from behind, knocked her unconscious, and stabbed her in the heart.
The defense stressed there was no physical evidence or DNA connecting Daniel Krug to the killing. They noted investigators found no blood in his car or on his clothes.
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
At the request of prosecutors, Judge Loew found that Daniel Krug’s crimes were acts of domestic violence. In addition to the life sentence, Loew added another 9 1/2 years for the stalking and criminal impersonation convictions. District Attorney Brian Mason said the motive was “control,” calling Daniel Krug’s actions “an example of depravity.”
Kristil Krug, a biochemical engineer, was described by her family and friends as “fiercely smart,” funny, and creative. Her cousin, Becky Ivanoff, said Daniel Krug “ripped a gaping hole in the hearts of everyone who loved her.” According to Ivanoff, 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.”
Kristil Krug’s father, Lars Grimsrud, told Judge Priscilla Loew that the crimes robbed the couple’s three children of their parents. “Our entire family will never be the same again,” Grimsrud said. The children are now being raised by Kristil Krug’s brother and his wife.
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 his family hoped that someone else was responsible for the crime and only learned of the evidence against his brother in the trial.
Jeremy Krug expressed grief for the children. “We love him and God forgive him what he’s done,” he said.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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