It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and a tragic case illustrates how quickly violence can invade a relationship.

Krystal Mitchell was only 30 years old when she was brutally murdered. The beautiful mother of two was found dead in the apartment of friends of the suspected killer. She and her then-boyfriend, Raymond McLeod, were visiting his friends in San Diego.

On the night of June 10, 2016, Krystal and Raymond decided to go to a local bar for a few drinks while their friends were sleeping. The situation turned violent when Raymond slapped Krystal in the face. A fellow patron, who had been conversing with the couple because both men were Marines, attempted to intervene on Krystal’s behalf, leading to a physical altercation between the two men.

All three were subsequently ejected from the bar.

Surveillance video from the apartment complex shows Raymond pushing Krystal into the elevator by her throat. The couple entered the apartment, but hours later, only Raymond was seen leaving and never returning.

The next morning, Raymond’s friends discovered Krystal dead in the spare bedroom. When police arrived, they found a trail of blood leading from the elevator to the apartment, indicating that Raymond left without cleaning Krystal’s blood off his hands.

He did not render aid, nor did he call his friends or 911 for help. Instead, he took their car to the airport, rented another vehicle, and drove to Mexico.

From there, he traveled to other countries, including Belize and Guatemala, continuously evading capture.

People are creatures of habit, and Raymond, a bodybuilder, continued to work out even while on the run. He was also a drinker, making local bars a likely place for authorities to search for him.

Josephine Wentzel refused to let her daughter’s killer escape justice. A former police detective, Josephine utilized her skills and maternal instincts to track down the murderer. It took her six years, but she succeeded in locating her daughter’s killer.

Josephine was relentless in her pursuit of this predator, waking in the middle of the night to search for information. She flooded social media with a wanted poster she created, which led to a stream of tips.

Josephine never met the man who became her daughter’s killer but requested pictures from Krystal to see his face. Those images eventually appeared on the wanted posters Josephine distributed.

During the summer while Krystal worked and enjoyed some free time, Josephine had her two grandchildren with her. The children heard their grandmother’s screams after receiving the call from the police.

Josephine described feeling a sickening dread the day before the call, and when she heard her husband say, “Yes, I’m her father,” she collapsed in unimaginable grief.

At the time of the murder, Raymond McLeod was a 41-year-old twice-divorced father in his third marriage, living in Phoenix, Arizona. Krystal, wanting only good influences around her children, had checked Raymond’s credit history through a property manager who could conduct such checks.

Despite a history of felony arrests, McLeod’s domestic violence charges were classified as misdemeanors and did not appear on the record. Krystal believed he was clean—no criminal history, bankruptcies, or red flags. She thought he might be “the one.”

The weekend with friends left numerous clues about what happened to Krystal, including the slap at the bar, the fight with the other patron, and the surveillance footage of Raymond pushing Krystal into the elevator by her throat. The video shows both entering the apartment, but only Raymond exits.

Additionally, Krystal’s throat was broken in three places, a clear indication that it was not consensual. A level one trauma nurse from a major metropolitan hospital stated, “Never in my 14 years have I seen a broken throat from consensual sex. I have never had a trauma patient from consensual sex.”

Another trauma nurse in New England echoed this, emphasizing that she had never encountered an injury from consensual sex despite extensive experience with rapes and sexual assaults resulting in severe injuries.

Across the United States, numerous sex clubs and events offer various forms of “play,” such as cruises, parties, and private clubs.

I contacted several to inquire about injuries necessitating 911 calls during consensual sex. One manager, with 20 years of professional experience, stated, “I have never had anyone injured during sex. The only injuries we’ve had have been due to someone drunk and falling.”

A BDSM event organizer with over 30 years in the lifestyle said this case sounded “violent and criminal.” He explained, “Rough sex is rough sex, but there are two acronyms you need to know: SSC stands for Safe, Sane, and Consensual, while RACK stands for Risk-Aware, Consensual Kink. Both emphasize consent!”

He confirmed that the intent is never to cause permanent harm and agreed that this killer is “masquerading as someone involved in BDSM but is actually a psychopath.”

Raymond McLeod’s defense team claimed he had past sexual partners where rough sex was part of their lifestyle, potentially strengthening the prosecution’s case.

By admitting to engaging in rough sex, he implied he could control himself and understood the importance of safe words.

However, he afforded none of this consideration to Krystal, who he never attempted to help after the incident. Instead, he fled like the coward he is. His bodybuilding muscles do not disguise his true nature; he is a weak, scared man who was ultimately captured by a grandmother undeterred by his intimidation.

Raymond has a pending domestic violence charge from an ex-wife, indicating that his violent tendencies were known to both police and neighbors.

He slapped Krystal in public and fought another man at the same bar, suggesting he could no longer conceal his violence. It appears he was escalating rapidly.

Josephine’s tireless search bore fruit when a tip led U.S. Marshals to Raymond McLeod. Upon capture, he was teaching English as a Second Language in El Salvador.

Witnesses reported seeing him with a woman he beat so badly that they could hear her screams. Once again, this does not sound consensual.

One day, Krystal’s children will read online about Raymond’s defense and the claims regarding rough sex. I hope they find this article, which will serve as written proof that Raymond McLeod is a liar.

They can talk to their father and learn that rough sex was never something their mother desired. It was not part of their marriage. No past boyfriend testified that Krystal ever engaged in rough sex during their relationship. They can look at countless pictures of their mother and never see a mark on her neck, face, arms, or legs. Not one.

She was a beautiful, intelligent, devoted, loving, and loyal person. I hope they remember that she vetted this killer to the best of her ability to protect them. She loved them.

This lie will fail. This stunt will fail.

The jury will see the truth, and just as his steroid-using testicles suggest, this is a feeble attempt to blame an innocent victim for her own death.

[Feature Photo: Family Handout]