A Virginia jury has convicted a woman of first-degree murder for the killing of a disabled man she and her husband invited to live with them after meeting him through church. Prosecutors say the couple later subjected him to brutal abuse that ended in his death.
According to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, 45-year-old Kristie Marie Lynch was found guilty of first-degree murder last week. Her husband, 52-year-old James Christian Lynch, had earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in May and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The victim, 45-year-old Jose Luis Moreno, had a disability that weakened his ankles and required him to use a walker. Prosecutors said Moreno moved in with the Lynches in 2022 when he needed housing. He contributed financially to the household using his Supplemental Security Disability Income.
But according to James Lynch’s own statements, the couple “punished” Moreno for not completing chores and for speaking Spanish. James admitted to beating him repeatedly with a frying pan in the days leading up to his death but chose not to seek medical help, fearing arrest.
On August 11, 2023, the Lynches informed their pastor that Moreno had died inside their apartment. The pastor urged them to call the police, who responded and found Moreno’s body at the bottom of a staircase. Prosecutors said he was discovered naked, covered in cuts and bruises.
Investigators concluded Moreno had been beaten and strangled using household items, including a frying pan, a dog leash, a belt, and ultimately a baseball bat. Kristie Lynch allegedly told investigators that she accused Moreno of sexually assaulting her and urged her husband to “man up” and “go take care of your boy.”
James Lynch, who at the time stood 6-foot-4 and weighed over 300 pounds, later claimed Moreno fought back with what he described as “demon-like strength.” Moreno, who weighed about 130 pounds and stood 5-foot-7, was overpowered and killed. Authorities believe he died at least two days before the couple contacted police.
Both Kristie and James Lynch were originally indicted on first-degree murder charges. James accepted a plea deal, while Kristie chose to go to trial. She now awaits sentencing, scheduled for January 2026, according to 13 News Now.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi condemned the crime. “The word ‘shocking’ has been overused, but the suffering that the Lynches inflicted on Mr. Moreno — a disabled man they claimed to have been ‘helping’ and who had ‘nowhere to go’ — is truly shocking,” he said. Norfolk, where the case unfolded, is located on Virginia’s southern coast in the Hampton Roads region.