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“He’s Right Behind You”: 20/20’s Season Premiere on Kristil Krug Homicide September 26 2025

Ryan Gill

ABC’s 20/20 opens its 48th season with a gripping two-hour premiere titled “He’s Right Behind You”, airing Friday, September 26, 2025. Co-anchor Deborah Roberts guided viewers through the terrifying true story of Kristil Krug, a wife and mother of three whose life in a quiet Denver suburb was turned upside down by what seemed like a mysterious stalker—and ultimately ended in her violent murder.

This episode of 20/20 took a comprehensive look at the case, incorporating exclusive police body camera footage, interviews with key figures, and never-before-seen evidence. What began as a stalking investigation quickly evolved into a murder mystery that stunned a community and exposed the chilling reality that the person responsible had been hiding in plain sight all along.

Kristil Krug: A Life Torn Apart

Kristil Krug was a 43-year-old biochemical engineer, a mother deeply devoted to her children, and a woman known for her intellect, warmth, and love of the performing arts. To the outside world, her life looked serene—living in a safe neighborhood outside Denver with her husband, Daniel Krug, and their children. But in October 2023, Kristil’s world began to unravel.

She began receiving disturbing messages—threats, vulgar comments, and surveillance-like details about her daily life. Believing an ex-boyfriend was responsible, Kristil reported the harassment to police and took steps to protect herself. She logged every message, installed surveillance cameras around her home, and enrolled in firearm safety training. As 20/20 revealed through police footage and interviews, Kristil was terrified but determined to safeguard her family.

What made the story even more chilling was that her husband Dan appeared to be by her side throughout, helping her report the harassment and engaging with officers in their effort to catch the so-called stalker. No one could have imagined the truth that was about to come to light.

The Shocking Discovery: A Killer From Within

On December 14, 2023, just before 8 a.m., Kristil returned home after taking two of her children to school. Moments later, she was ambushed in the garage of her own home. She was struck in the head multiple times and stabbed in the heart. Her children were inside the house. The garage camera—previously installed for safety—had been covered with tape.

Police responded to a welfare check call from Daniel Krug around noon. When they arrived, they found Kristil’s lifeless body in the garage. What followed was a stunning shift in the investigation. Though no physical DNA tied Daniel Krug directly to the murder scene, digital forensic evidence told a different story.

20/20 pieced together how investigators determined that the so-called stalker had never been Kristil’s ex. Instead, it was Daniel Krug, orchestrating an elaborate digital hoax using fake email accounts and burner phones. He had posed as her ex-boyfriend to scare her, hoping to play the role of protector and win her back. But when Kristil began working closely with law enforcement, Daniel’s manipulation began to fall apart—and his plot turned deadly.

A Calculated Cover-Up and a Cold-Blooded Exit

As shown in 20/20’s detailed timeline, Daniel Krug went to disturbing lengths to cover his tracks. After the murder, he used Kristil’s phone to send fake messages that implied infidelity and to deactivate the home’s security system. He delayed his departure to work, turned off his car’s dashcam, and even stopped for coffee to maintain a routine. Hours later, he contacted police, pretending to be concerned about his wife’s silence.

Yet digital footprints couldn’t be erased. Investigators discovered that the fake emails were created using his work computer. The burner phones had been purchased using a gift card in his name. Surveillance data showed the burner phone’s movements aligned with his own. And damning Google searches the day before the murder—on how to render someone unconscious and how long unconsciousness lasts—sealed the case.

Trial, Conviction, and Where He Is Now

In April 2025, Daniel Krug stood trial in Broomfield County. The jury convicted him of first-degree murder, stalking, and criminal impersonation. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus over nine additional years for the stalking-related charges.

20/20 documented the emotional impact of the sentencing, including statements from Kristil’s father and cousin, who described her as a remarkable woman whose life was stolen by deceit and cruelty. Daniel Krug offered no apology during sentencing. His own brother admitted the family had hoped for a different outcome, but the evidence left no room for doubt.

Today, Daniel Krug remains in a Colorado state prison, serving a life sentence for murdering the woman he claimed to love.

A Tragic Warning and Enduring Legacy

“He’s Right Behind You” delivers more than a recounting of a crime—it’s a haunting reminder of the dangers stalking victims face, even from those closest to them. Kristil Krug did everything she could to protect herself. She trusted the system. But in the end, she couldn’t escape the violence that came from within her own home.

20/20’s premiere leaves viewers with painful questions about how this could have happened—and what more can be done to prevent tragedies like Kristil’s. Her story now stands as a powerful call for awareness, accountability, and reform in how stalking and domestic violence are investigated.

Kristil Krug’s legacy lives on through her three children, her grieving family, and the many people who will remember her not just as a victim, but as a brilliant, courageous woman whose story deserves to be told.

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