A Washington state man is facing a murder charge after his girlfriend was discovered dead in a river. The victim’s mother claimed he had a pattern of horrific abuse, including setting a timer to repeatedly beat her in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.
The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office has charged Juan Manuel Delgado Jr., 42, with second-degree murder in the death of 37-year-old Krista Joy Hunt. On March 19, investigators presented charging documents to prosecutors.
Hunt’s mother told Seattle-based KING-TV that her daughter had reported continuous assaults in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. “She actually had a broken leg,” Pamela Hunt stated. “She claimed he boot-stomped her leg and chest…” She claimed that once, he set a timer and threatened to strike her every 15 minutes.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the allegations.
Hunt was reported missing on February 1 after being last seen days earlier in the rural town of Concrete, according to a sheriff’s office missing persons flier.
Authorities claimed the search took a dark turn on March 12, when deputies conducting a boat search of the Skagit River discovered human remains near milepost 90, just east of Concrete. The Skagit County coroner eventually confirmed that the remains belonged to Hunt.
While no definite cause or manner of death has been revealed, the Skagit County Coroner’s Office told Fox News Digital that the case is still being investigated. KING-TV reports that the office has previously documented major injuries, including a fractured neck, jaw, and ribs.
According to investigators, Delgado knew Hunt and had a relationship with her. According to jail records, when the murder accusation was filed, he was already in custody at the Skagit County Jail on other charges.
According to jail records, Delgado had already been charged with having an explosive device, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and DUI.
According to KING-TV, officials discovered suspected evidence of violence inside Delgado’s truck, including clumps of hair and blood believed to belong to Hunt.
Hunt was last seen around Jan. 25, when she and her boyfriend were in a truck that ran out of gas outside the Lone Star Restaurant in Concrete, according to her mother. Hunt got out, went away, and was never seen again.
In a social media post, her mother denied that Delgado was her daughter’s boyfriend. “He was a moment in her life,” Pamela Hunt wrote. He treated her with unrelenting malice and nothing else.
During the hunt, Pamela Hunt posted on GoFundMe about her daughter’s injuries from weeks before. The following day, I rushed her to the hospital—she was covered in bruises, both new and old, had been strangled, had two black eyes, and had a fractured leg,” she wrote, adding that physicians warned her she might not survive another strangulation.
The claims have not been independently verified by authorities.
According to an affidavit obtained by KING-TV, Delgado informed a deputy on February 1 that he had not heard from Hunt in five days and wanted to return her two dogs. He also admitted there had been problems in their relationship but said they were on good terms.
Delgado also reportedly informed pals that Hunt could have been hit by a car.
Days after Hunt went missing, Delgado allegedly shot himself at a concrete bar but survived. He later informed authorities that he “missed Krista,” according to the report.
Hunt’s relatives expressed their grief over her loss. “I can’t imagine the pain my mother is going through right now,” Hunt’s brother, Rand, told KING-TV. “I understand the anguish I’m experiencing. And it’s hard… He took 60 years of my connection with Krista.”
Hunt’s mother shared a Facebook post thanking search personnel and reflecting on her daughter’s loss after her remains were discovered. “My daughter Krista Joy Hunt has been found,” she said, adding that the bones were located on March 12 near mile marker 90 on Highway 20. “I am so very grateful to all the people involved in her search and recovery.”
She also mentioned the charges brought against Delgado, saying, “He tried to hide his shame; he cannot hide the truth.”
In the same article, she revealed the emotional toll on the family, who are now facing burial and accompanying expenses. She wrote, “The love and support from friends, family, and those we haven’t met has been overwhelming in the most beautiful way.” “She was very independent,” she told KING-TV. “Not the type of person you’d expect to be trapped in an abusive relationship.” “She was my best friend and only daughter.”
Delgado is being jailed on $1 million bail as the inquiry continues.