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Kristin Rossum’s Background

Kristin Rossum was born on October 25, 1976, in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Claremont, California. Both her mother and father worked in education.

Kristin’s life was full of hope when she was a little girl. However, life changed when, in 1991, Kristin’s father got a new job as the President of Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia. The family moved, and Kristin became a student at St. Catherine’s School, a rather conservative school for girls in Richmond. It was here that teenage rebellion came into the picture. Kristin first drank beer and cigarettes and then tried marijuana, but she was not impressed at all.

Then came the real turning point: she first used methamphetamine in 1992, and the hooks of the substance got lodged into her almost instantly.

In 1994, Kristin returned to California and attended the University of Redlands as a part-time student. However, she dropped out after a short time, mainly due to her drug habit.

Kristin Meets And Marries Greg de Villers

Then came redemption in the form of a partner, Greg de Villers, who helped her overcome the vice. He encouraged her to go to college, and she attended San Diego State University, completed her classes, and graduated with a chemistry degree in 1998.

Everything appeared to be moving in the right direction.

Kristin’s professional life started to grow as she got a job as a toxicologist at the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. She and Greg got married in 1999, and for some time, they had a happy marriage.

However, there were some issues on the horizon. Kristin got involved in an adulterous affair with her new boss Dr. Michael Robertson, and regrettably, she fell back into her meth addiction.

By late 2000, Greg discovered Kristin’s secrets. He knew about the affair and her drug use, threatening to expose her if she didn’t quit her job.

Dr. Robertson, aware of Kristin’s relapse, also knew about this ultimatum.

Murder of Greg de Villers

On the evening of November 6, 2000, a frantic 911 call from Kristin at around 9:15 pm reported 26-year-old Greg’s suicide. Paramedics found Greg unresponsive on their bed, scattered with red rose petals, a scene eerily reminiscent of the film “American Beauty.”

Despite Kristin’s claims of suicide, Greg’s family, especially his brother Jerome, vehemently disagreed. They insisted Greg was not suicidal, but the police were initially hesitant to investigate.

The plot got more complex a month after Greg’s death. Kristin and Dr. Robertson were both fired from the medical examiner’s office, Kristin for her drug use and Robertson for enabling her and having an affair with a subordinate.

Due to potential conflicts of interest, Greg’s autopsy was outsourced to Los Angeles, revealing a lethal dose of fentanyl in his system.

As detectives dug deeper, they discovered Kristin’s meth relapse and her suspicious call to Greg’s employer, claiming he wouldn’t be coming to work the day he died.

Arrest And Trial

Seven months after Greg’s death, on June 25, 2001, Kristin was arrested and charged with capital murder. Her parents posted her $1.25 million bail in January 2002. When she finally went to trial, it was filled with dramatic revelations. Prosecutors argued that Kristin killed Greg to prevent him from revealing her affair and drug use.

The defense claimed Greg was depressed and deleted himself after Kristin told him the day prior that she was leaving him.

Kristin’s version of events was meticulously dissected, with the prosecution presenting a store receipt showing she had purchased a single rose. This was a crucial detail, as crumpled petals were found on Greg’s body.

The timestamp on the receipt contradicted her account of being at home with Greg, raising more suspicion.

On November 12, 2002, Kristin was found guilty of first-degree murder. A month later, she received a life sentence without the possibility of parole and a $10,000 fine. She was sent to the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, the largest women’s prison in the U.S.