Father speaks after daughter pleads guilty to killing brother

POCATELLO — A woman accused of killing her brother has plead guilty.

In July last year, Kristina May Juarez was arrested and charged with second degree murder. Police say Juarez stabbed her brother Michael Christensen at a Jefferson Avenue home in Pocatello. He died from his injuries later that night.

Nearly a year later since the crime, Juarez has reached a plea agreement with Bannock County Prosecutors, and plead guilty to killing her brother.

Ashley Graham, a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Bannock County says, “We’ve amended the charge for second degree murder to (the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter). She entered in a guilty plea to that charge. There is a joint binding recommendation of three years fixed and seven years indeterminate. So what that means is she’s required to serve three years in prison. After that she’s eligible for parole, but it will be up to the parole board to decide whether or not she’ll be released at that point in time.”

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KPVI spoke with Michael and Kristina’s father. He says he’s lost both of his children, one to the justice system and the other in the grave. He adds, this tragedy has affected their family deeply, and he says there’s no winning side to this resolution.

Steven Christensen, Michael and Kristina’s father says tearfully, “It was just heartbreaking, and I’ll never forget it.”

On July 21st, 2016 Pocatello Police found Michael Christensen stabbed in the back at 565 Jefferson Avenue. Christensen says, “I don’t know what more to say, it’s just heartbreaking… and he’ll always be with me.”

Michael was 31-years-old, his father says, “I received a phone call on July 21st at 11:04 p.m. from Michael’s very best friend, Eddie Johnson, telling me he’s been stabbed and there’s blood all over the place.”

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Michael died from his injuries that night and his sister Kristina was charged with his death.

“I do love my daughter and I will always love her… but all through this whole tragedy all she’s had to say is ‘I won’t be here long. They don’t have enough evidence.’ And I guess I’m relieved that it’s come to this to where she’s finally had to admit to it,” said Christensen.

Before a Bannock County judge and family, Juarez tearfully plead guilty to killing her brother. “It’s one of the tragedies of my life, on both sides. No one is going to win.”

Kristina could spend a maximum of 10 years in prison. In tears her father says, “I just hope someday that I’ll be able to talk to my daughter about this.”

Juarez will sit in the Bannock County Jail until her scheduled sentencing in August.