In a shocking case out of New Mexico, a woman who handed her son a gun and told him to shoot a homeless woman has been convicted of second-degree murder.
The tragic shooting happened last year, and now justice is being served.
What Happened
On April 3, 2023, Kristina Withrow, 45, encountered Monique Garcia, a 36-year-old homeless woman, near her apartment walkway. According to the Albuquerque Police Department, Withrow asked Garcia to leave, but when Garcia refused, an argument broke out between the two women.
Things escalated quickly. Withrow pulled out a handgun and handed it to her then-18-year-old son, Kristian Crespin. Crespin fired three shots toward Garcia, hitting her. Garcia was rushed to a hospital but sadly died later that day.
The Investigation
After the shooting, Withrow initially claimed to police that she had fired the gun herself. However, multiple eyewitnesses told authorities they saw a male shooter.
Under pressure, Withrow later admitted that she handed the gun to her son and told him to fire.
“Initially, Withrow told police she was the one who opened fire, but later admitted that she ordered her son to shoot,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman in a statement.
Court Verdicts
Kristian Crespin had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced in September 2024 to 18 years in prison.
This week, after a four-day trial, a Bernalillo County jury found Withrow guilty of:
- Second-degree murder (with a firearm enhancement)
- Aggravated assault (with a firearm enhancement)
- Tampering with evidence
Jurors could have convicted her of first-degree murder but decided on second-degree murder instead. They deliberated for just over three hours before reaching their decision.
