A New Mexico mother who gave her son a firearm and told him to shoot a homeless woman was convicted of second-degree murder.
According to Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman’s Facebook post, Kristina Withrow, 46, was convicted by a jury on Thursday of second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement, aggravated assault with a firearm enhancement, and tampering with evidence.
The verdict closed one chapter of the fallout from the shooting death of 36-year-old Monique Garcia, who died in April 2023 from gunshot wounds inflicted by Kristian Crespin, Withrow’s son.
On April 3, 2023, Withrow saw Garcia in the walkway of her apartment building and told her to leave because she “assumed the victim was homeless,” according to a press release issued by the Albuquerque Police Department at the time of the shooting. The two women then had a verbal argument, during which Withrow retrieved her handgun.
Withrow then handed Crespin her gun and “told her son to shoot” Garcia. Crespin fired three shots at Garcia, who was then transported to a hospital. She died the next day from her injuries.
In an interview with police, Withrow stated that she fired at Garcia. However, eyewitnesses came forward and reported seeing a male firing shots before fleeing the scene.
Crespin eventually admitted to the shooting and was charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and tampering with evidence. In April 2024, he pleaded guilty to both charges and received an 18-year sentence.
Withrow was also charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, but he was not convicted on either count. Her sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
