Man accused of timed beatings now charged with murder after woman found dead in river: report

A Washington authorities antheral is facing a execution complaint aft his woman was recovered dormant successful a river, arsenic the victim’s parent alleged a signifier of brutal abuse, including claims helium erstwhile acceptable a timer to repeatedly bushed her, successful the weeks earlier her disappearance.

Juan Manuel Delgado Jr., 42, has been charged with second-degree execution successful the decease of 37-year-old Krista Joy Hunt, according to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators submitted charging paperwork to prosecutors connected March 19.

In the weeks earlier she vanished, Hunt’s parent told Seattle-based KING-TV that her girl described repeated violence.

"She did successful information person a breached leg," Pamela Hunt said. "She said helium had boot-stomped her limb and her thorax … She said 1 clip helium acceptable a timer and told her helium was going to deed her each 15 minutes."

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Krista Joy Hunt, 37, was reported missing successful February 2026. Authorities aboriginal confirmed her remains were recovered successful the Skagit River, and her fellow has been charged with murder. (Skagit County Sheriff's Office)

Authorities person not publically confirmed those allegations.

Hunt was reported missing connected Feb. 1 aft she was past seen days earlier successful the agrarian municipality of Concrete, according to a sheriff’s bureau missing persons' flyer.

Authorities said the hunt took a grim crook connected March 12, erstwhile deputies conducting a vessel hunt of the Skagit River located quality remains adjacent milepost 90, conscionable eastbound of Concrete. The Skagit County coroner aboriginal confirmed the remains belonged to Hunt.

While the coroner has not determined an nonstop origin oregon mode of death, the lawsuit remains nether progressive investigation, the Skagit County Coroner’s Office told Fox News Digital. The bureau has antecedently documented important injuries, including a breached neck, jaw and ribs, according to KING-TV.

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A scenic presumption of the Skagit River successful Washington state. Authorities conducted hunt efforts on the stream during the probe into Krista Hunt’s disappearance. (Strekoza2/Getty Images)

Investigators said Delgado was known to Hunt and had been successful a narration with her. Jail records amusement helium was already being held astatine the Skagit County Jail connected unrelated charges erstwhile the execution complaint was filed.

Delgado was already facing charges of possessing an explosive device, unlawful possession of a firearm and DUI, according to jailhouse records.

According to KING-TV, authorities besides uncovered imaginable grounds of unit wrong Delgado’s truck, including clumps of hairsbreadth and humor believed to beryllium connected to Hunt.

Hunt was past seen astir Jan. 25 aft she and her fellow were successful a motortruck that ran retired of state adjacent the Lone Star Restaurant successful Concrete, her parent told the outlet. Hunt got retired and walked distant and was ne'er seen again.

Her parent has disputed characterizations of the relationship, penning successful a societal media station that Delgado was not her daughter’s boyfriend.

"He was a infinitesimal successful her life," Pamela Hunt wrote. "He subjected her to relentless cruelty and thing else."

In a GoFundMe station created during the search, Pamela Hunt besides described the grade of her daughter’s injuries weeks earlier.

"The adjacent day, I took her to the hospital—she was covered successful bruises, some caller and old, had been strangled, had 2 achromatic eyes, and a breached leg," she wrote, adding doctors warned she mightiness not past different strangulation.

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A Skagit County Sheriff’s Office patrol vessel is seen connected the h2o successful an undated photo. The bureau operates a marine portion liable for instrumentality enforcement and search-and-rescue operations connected section waterways. (Skagit County Sheriff's Office)

Those claims person not been independently confirmed by authorities.

According to an affidavit cited by KING-TV, Delgado told a lawman connected Feb. 1 that helium had not heard from Hunt successful 5 days but wanted to instrumentality her 2 dogs. He besides acknowledged determination had been issues successful their narration but claimed they were connected bully terms.

Delgado had besides reportedly told friends that Hunt whitethorn person been deed by a car.

Days aft Hunt was reported missing, Delgado allegedly changeable himself astatine a barroom successful Concrete but survived. He aboriginal told authorities helium "missed Krista," according to the report.

Hunt’s household says they person been near devastated by her death.

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"I can’t ideate the symptom my ma is going done close now," Hunt’s brother, Rand, told KING-TV. "I cognize the symptom I’m going through. And it’s hard … He stole 60 years of my narration with Krista."

Hunt’s parent besides confirmed the find of her daughter’s remains successful a Facebook post, thanking hunt crews and reflecting connected the loss.

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"My Daughter Krista Joy Hunt has been found," she wrote, adding that the remains were discovered March 12 adjacent mile marker 90 on Highway 20. "I americium truthful precise grateful to each the radical progressive successful her hunt and recovery."

She besides referenced the charges filed against Delgado, writing: "He tried to fell his shame; helium cannot fell the truth."

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In the aforesaid post, she described the affectional toll connected the household and said they are present facing ceremonial and related expenses.

"The emotion and enactment from friends, household and friends we’ve yet to conscionable has been overwhelming successful a astir beauteous way," she wrote.

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"She was a precise autarkic person," she told KING-TV. "Not the benignant of idiosyncratic you would deliberation would beryllium trapped successful an abusive relationship. She was my champion friend, my lone daughter." 

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Delgado is being held connected $1 cardinal bail arsenic the probe remains ongoing.

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Skagit County Sheriff's Office and prosecutor’s bureau for remark but did not instantly person a response.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].