Ep 3. Kristel Maestas & Ronald Bell
- TV14
- February 27, 2020
In season 13 episode 3 of Killer Couples, viewers are taken into the unsettling tale of Kristel Maestas and Ronald Bell. Kristel and Ronald met while working together in an Albuquerque hospital, both employed as healthcare workers. The pair quickly formed a strong bond, eventually turning into a sexual relationship.
However, things took a dark turn when Kristel discovered Ronald was already married and had a child. She demanded he leave his wife, but Ronald refused, telling Kristel their relationship was simply physical and nothing more. This revelation drove Kristel to violence.
Kristel procured a .22 caliber handgun and began to fantasize about killing Ronald's wife. Ronald, instead of dissuading her from these thoughts, actively encouraged Kristel. They plotted together for weeks, ultimately deciding on a plan to ambush Ronald's wife, who was eight months pregnant at the time.
On October 21st, 2000, Kristel and Ronald lay in wait for Ronald's wife to arrive home. When she did, they brutally shot her multiple times, leaving her to die in her garage.
After a detective began investigating the murder of Ronald's wife, suspicions arose about Kristel and Ronald's involvement. Their alibis were flimsy and their stories did not add up. Eventually, they both confessed to the crime, Kristel admitting that she had pulled the trigger.
The episode delves into the psychological profiles of both Kristel and Ronald, using interviews with law enforcement officials and family members to piece together the motives behind the brutal murder. The repercussions of the crime, including the devastating impact it had on Ronald's young daughter and the aftermath for Kristel and Ronald themselves, are also explored.
Viewers follow the legal proceedings as Kristel and Ronald are charged with first-degree murder and spend years in court, facing the consequences of their heinous actions. The episode provides a chilling insight into the complex dynamics of relationships turned deadly, and the toll such violence takes on everyone involved.
