The boyfriend of a Skagit County woman whose body was found along the Skagit River this month was charged with second-degree murder in connection with her death.
Juan M. Delgado Jr., 42, allegedly hit Krista Hunt, 37, with his truck, causing her death, around Highway 20 near Concrete, according to Skagit County Superior Court documents. Hunt was reported missing Feb. 1 by her mother, who said she hadn’t heard from her daughter in five days.
Hunt’s died less than three months after she was hospitalized with injuries consistent with physical abuse. Hunt told hospital staff she had been slapped, choked, kicked and punched, dragged across a road and hit with a belt, according to court documents. She didn’t want to report the incident to law enforcement.
After she was reported missing, people she had stayed with expressed concern to investigators that she was being abused by Delgado.
Investigators learned Delgado had been seen near Highway 20 in late January and told a medical crew he was having vehicle issues. He was wet, even though it wasn't raining, and he said he had been washing in the creek, according to court documents. He also told friends he and Hunt had a fight and she was hit by a car, then he drove her to a hospital in Lynnwood and left her there.
Detectives searched Delgado’s truck and found blood stains throughout the vehicle, hair the same color and length of Hunt’s in the truck bed and damage to the driver’s side mirror and other portions of the vehicle. Five plastic pieces matching the broken side mirror were found along State Route 20.
Hunt’s body was found near the evidence, about 60 feet south of Highway 20. Delgado was interviewed at the Skagit County Community Justice Center, where he was being held on unrelated charges.
Hunt's cause and manner of death haven’t been determined, the Skagit County Medical Examiner’s Office said Tuesday, but injuries she sustained “were reported to have been caused by great force,” according to court documents.
Delgado remains in custody in lieu of $1 million.
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