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A Washington state man is facing a murder charge after his girlfriend was found dead in a river, as the victim’s mother alleged a pattern of brutal abuse, including claims he once set a timer to repeatedly beat her, in the weeks before her disappearance.
Juan Manuel Delgado Jr., 42, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 37-year-old Krista Joy Hunt, according to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators submitted charging paperwork to prosecutors on March 19.
In the weeks before she vanished, Hunt’s mother told Seattle-based KING-TV that her daughter described repeated violence.
“She did in fact have a broken leg,” Pamela Hunt said. “She said he had boot-stomped her leg and her chest … She said one time he set a timer and told her he was going to hit her every 15 minutes.”
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Krista Joy Hunt, 37, was reported missing in February 2026. Authorities later confirmed her remains were found in the Skagit River, and her boyfriend has been charged with murder. (Skagit County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities have not publicly confirmed those allegations.
Hunt was reported missing on Feb. 1 after she was last seen days earlier in the rural town of Concrete, according to a sheriff’s office missing persons’ flyer.
Authorities said the search took a grim turn on March 12, when deputies conducting a boat search of the Skagit River located human remains near milepost 90, just east of Concrete. The Skagit County coroner later confirmed the remains belonged to Hunt.
While the coroner has not determined an exact cause or manner of death, the case remains under active investigation, the Skagit County Coroner’s Office told Fox News Digital. The office has previously documented significant injuries, including a broken neck, jaw and ribs, according to KING-TV.
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A scenic view of the Skagit River in Washington state. Authorities conducted search efforts along the river during the investigation into Krista Hunt’s disappearance. (Strekoza2/Getty Images)
Investigators said Delgado was known to Hunt and had been in a relationship with her. Jail records show he was already being held at the Skagit County Jail on unrelated charges when the murder charge was filed.
Delgado was already facing charges of possessing an explosive device, unlawful possession of a firearm and DUI, according to jail records.
According to KING-TV, authorities also uncovered possible evidence of violence inside Delgado’s truck, including clumps of hair and blood believed to be connected to Hunt.
Hunt was last seen around Jan. 25 after she and her boyfriend were in a truck that ran out of gas near the Lone Star Restaurant in Concrete, her mother told the outlet. Hunt got out and walked away and was never seen again.
Her mother has disputed characterizations of the relationship, writing in a social media post that Delgado was not her daughter’s boyfriend.
“He was a moment in her life,” Pamela Hunt wrote. “He subjected her to relentless cruelty and nothing else.”
In a GoFundMe post created during the search, Pamela Hunt also described the extent of her daughter’s injuries weeks earlier.
“The next day, I took her to the hospital—she was covered in bruises, both new and old, had been strangled, had two black eyes, and a broken leg,” she wrote, adding doctors warned she might not survive another strangulation.
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A Skagit County Sheriff’s Office patrol boat is seen on the water in an undated photo. The agency operates a marine unit responsible for law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations on local waterways. (Skagit County Sheriff’s Office)
Those claims have not been independently confirmed by authorities.
According to an affidavit cited by KING-TV, Delgado told a deputy on Feb. 1 that he had not heard from Hunt in five days but wanted to return her two dogs. He also acknowledged there had been issues in their relationship but claimed they were on good terms.
Delgado had also reportedly told friends that Hunt may have been hit by a car.
Days after Hunt was reported missing, Delgado allegedly shot himself at a bar in Concrete but survived. He later told authorities he “missed Krista,” according to the report.
Hunt’s family says they have been left devastated by her death.
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“I can’t imagine the pain my mom is going through right now,” Hunt’s brother, Rand, told KING-TV. “I know the pain I’m going through. And it’s hard … He stole 60 years of my relationship with Krista.”
Hunt’s mother also confirmed the discovery of her daughter’s remains in a Facebook post, thanking search crews and reflecting on the loss.
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“My Daughter Krista Joy Hunt has been found,” she wrote, adding that the remains were discovered March 12 near mile marker 90 along Highway 20. “I am so very grateful to all the people involved in her search and recovery.”
She also referenced the charges filed against Delgado, writing: “He tried to hide his shame; he cannot hide the truth.”
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In the same post, she described the emotional toll on the family and said they are now facing funeral and related expenses.
“The love and support from friends, family and friends we’ve yet to meet has been overwhelming in a most beautiful way,” she wrote.
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“She was a very independent person,” she told KING-TV. “Not the kind of person you would think would be trapped in an abusive relationship. She was my best friend, my only daughter.”
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Delgado is being held on $1 million bail as the investigation remains ongoing.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutor’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.