RJ McLeod and Krystal Mitchell meet when she shows him an apartment. McLeod, a large man, is a bodybuilder and former Marine. As they start dating, Krystal tells her mother about this new man in her life, noting that he is also a devoted father to his son. Krystal confides in McLeod about her issues with a stalker, and McLeod gives her a gun for protection.
The pair travels to California to visit some of RJ’s friends in San Diego. After socializing with his friends, RJ and Krystal head to a local bar for a few drinks. They return to the condo after 1 a.m. About an hour later, the friend’s wife hears a woman sobbing, followed by a sound like “ah,” and then silence.
The next morning, McLeod greets the friend’s wife as he passes through the kitchen on his way out of the apartment. The friend and his wife leave, but when the friend returns around 1 p.m., he finds the apartment silent. He opens the guest bedroom door and immediately calls 911.
McLeod’s friend finds Krystal Mitchell in bed, partially nude, bloody, and deceased. On the 911 call, he initially tells the dispatcher, “this is a homicide.” He adds that he tried unsuccessfully to revive her. Investigators later determine there were clear signs of a struggle, with furniture shifted around the room. Krystal Mitchell sustained numerous injuries, including blunt force trauma to her face and torso. She had been strangled, with multiple fractures around her neck.
Investigators learn that McLeod returned to a nearby bar around noon to pay his tab from the night before and retrieve his credit card. He tells a waitress he has a “flight to catch.” McLeod takes Krystal Mitchell’s car to the San Diego airport, parks it, rents a different car, and drives into Mexico. Police name RJ McLeod as a person of interest in Krystal Mitchell’s death, and officials issue a warrant for his arrest on murder charges.
For six years, investigators believe McLeod is hiding in Central America or Mexico. Reports emerge of sightings in Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, but McLeod remains elusive. Authorities finally capture him in El Salvador and return him to the United States, where he claims Krystal’s death was a case of rough sex gone wrong.
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Additional Guests
- Josephine Wentzel – Krystal Mitchell’s Mother
- Dr. Marlena Ryba – Clinical Psychologist and Research Consultant at Dr. Long and Associates; LINKEDIN: marlenamryba
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
