GUILTY GA - Donna Kristofak, 48, murdered in her Cobb County home, 22 Dec 2012

Donna Kristofak was terrified. John S. Kristofak, who was her husband for 19 years, divorced in August 2011, had been arrested six months earlier as he chased her in a Wal-Mart parking lot. In his car were a butcher’s knife and what police called “a suicide note.”

During a court hearing Oct. 12, Mrs. Kristofak begged a Cobb County(metro Atlanta area) judge not to release him from jail. “I fear for my life,” she told Superior Court Judge (16 years) Adele Grubbs, telling the judge that a court-issued order of protection would not stop her crazed ex-spouse.

Late Saturday morning, Kristofak allegedly entered the garage of his 48-year-old ex-wife’s East Cobb home and stabbed her once in the upper torso. She died later at a hospital.

Early ThursdayKristofak, 58, was arrested after a short struggle at a Motel 6 in Union City, ending a publicized five-day manhunt. He was charged with doing exactly what he’d promised earlier this year: murder.

In the October hearing, Ms Kristopak had wanted to be sure that her concern was expressed in the court record. “May I ask, your honor, that it is on the record that I fear for my life?”

“It is on the record,” said Judge Grubbs, who then threatened Kristofak, saying she would send him to prison in an instant if he ever came near his ex-wife or tried to contact her.

In an interview Thursday, Grubbs said she could not comment on the case.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/slain-woman-predicted-her-own-death/nTgj4/

I deeply mourn Donna Kristofak's tragic death.
She knew, and begged for help, and still it happened.
So so sad.

When will these judges learn that their piece of paper will not protect a women (or man) from somebody who has vowed to kill them?

This 'man' had already chased Ms. Kristofak one time with evidence that he planned to harm her. This did not have to happen. Very sad that she did not get the protection she deserved.....RIP....

Reader said:

When will these judges learn that their piece of paper will not protect a women (or man) from somebody who has vowed to kill them?

This 'man' had already chased Ms. Kristofak one time with evidence that he planned to harm her. This did not have to happen. Very sad that she did not get the protection she deserved.....RIP....

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I agree. And, I'm sure at the time, the judge was saying in his mind "yah, whatever - blah blah blah".

Now he has to live with it -- that's even if he cares at all.

So sad!

MOO

Mel

Cobb County is getting worse by the day. It used to be a decent place, now it is a never ending legal freak show.

If she actually said "I am in fear for my life" she was trying to prepare, what happened?

Sonya610 said:

Cobb County is getting worse by the day. It used to be a decent place, now it is a never ending legal freak show.

If she actually said "I am in fear for my life" she was trying to prepare, what happened?

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What happened is that we don't put people in prison until they actually do something. This woman was scared of her husband but until he killed her, he was allowed out of jail.

"I am in fear for my life" is what people say after a justifiable homicide. She knew he was out to get her, there is more to this story.

The AJC report said that in the March warrant, Kristofak warned his ex-wife "never [to] cut me off from my children. You did and you will pay."

In his final e-mail to her on March 19, the AJC reported that Kristofak told Donna Kristofak to "make your final goodbyes with your children.”

Cobb Police have said very little about the case, declining even to describe how Donna Kristofak was killed, and didn't release news of the murder until more than 24 hours after it occurred.

http://eastcobb.patch.com/articles/east-cobb-murder-suspect-issued-threats

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Sonya610 said:

"I am in fear for my life" is what people say after a justifiable homicide. She knew he was out to get her, there is more to this story.

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He already chased her in a parking lot six months prior, for which he spend time in jail.
She clearly knew what he was up to.

She needed to get herself a gun along with the piece of paper.

Trident said:

She needed to get herself a gun along with the piece of paper.

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Exactly, and saying "I am in fear for my life" means she thought about that.

She made a point out of telling that to the judge. What happened?

From May 2013:

http://mdjonline.com/bookmark/22665053-John-Kristofak-pleads-guilty-to-ex-wife-s-murder

In less than 20 minutes, the man accused of killing his ex-wife at her home in east Cobb entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to life in prison.

John S. Kristofak, 58, pleaded guilty to malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in Cobb Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs’ courtroom Tuesday afternoon...

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