U.S. Marine and fugitive accused of killing girlfriend is caught after years on the run

In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: The murder of 30-year-old Krystal Mitchell.

Krystal was a doting, beautiful mother of two and no stranger to men being attracted to her. Then, she laid eyes on Raymond McLeod, who went by the name R.J., and became smitten. He was a bodybuilder and former Marine — exactly her type.

The two started dating, and in June 2016, traveled to San Diego from their home in Phoenix for a romantic getaway. But that trip to the Golden State would soon turn dark.

On June 10, 2016, San Diego Police received a call about a woman not breathing in an apartment and arrived to find Krystal dead. R.J., however, was nowhere in sight. Investigators learned she was last seen with her boyfriend, and he became the prime suspect.

The problem was, however, investigators suspected R.J. fled south of the border. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest and believed he was in Central America or Mexico. Krystal’s mother, Josephine Wentzel, is a former detective and assisted San Diego Police with their investigation. The District Attorney’s Office called Krystal’s mom “instrumental” in the manhunt for R.J.

R.J. was added to the U.S. Marshal’s 15 Most Wanted list and even became the first fugitive ever with a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest. He remained on the run for six years until he was eventually located teaching English at a school in El Salvador. He was arrested August 29, 2022, and extradited back to San Diego, where he pleaded not guilty to killing Krystal.

Let’s look back at the case of a young mother killed on a supposed romantic weekend and the capture of a man who could run, but not hide.