Couple Invited Disabled Man from Church to Live with Them, Then Killed Him with Frying Pan & Dog Leash: Prosecutors

James Christian Lynch, 52, previously pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder for his role in the 2023 death of Jose Luis Moreno, 45. This week, his wife, Kristie Marie Lynch, 45, was found guilty of first-degree murder in Moreno's death, after she rejected a similar plea deal and opted for a trial. Per the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, James testified on his wife's behalf during her trial, which ended last week.

"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," said Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi in a statement, while breaking down the disturbing details of the case.

The Lynches allegedly told police after Moreno's murder that they met him at church, before inviting him to live with them in 2022 because he had "nowhere to go." Per prosecutors, the victim "had a disability that caused weakness in his ankles and required him to use a walker," adding that he used his disability income to help pay for household finances.

James purportedly told authorities the pair "punished" Moreno physically "on multiple occasions for not contributing to household chores due to his disability and for speaking in Spanish (Mr. Moreno's native language) around them." He also allegedly admitted that leading up the Moreno's death, he "he had beaten Mr. Moreno over the head several times with a frying pan, gashing Mr. Moreno's scalp" -- but refused to bring him to the hospital over fear of being arrested.

Prosecutors say Moreno "most likely" died on August 9, 2023, "after the Lynches severely beat and strangled him using a number of household implements, including the frying pan, a belt, a baseball bat, and a dog leash." His death wasn't reported, however, until two days later -- when they allegedly "asked to meet with a local pastor and told him that Mr. Moreno was dead inside their home." It was that pastor who then urged them to call police, which James did.

When authorities responded to the apartment, Moreno's body was found "naked, covered in bruises and cuts, and with ligature marks on his neck," said prosecutors. There was blood spatter on the walls and floors, along with evidence suggesting the pair "had tried to clean blood from different areas of the second floor." Moreno was discovered at the foot of the first-floor stairs; his autopsy allegedly showed he died from "a combination of strangulation and blunt-force trauma."

Speaking with police, Kristie allegedly claimed she told her husband that their roommate "had attacked and sexually assaulted her," urging James to "man up, grow a set [and] go take care of your boy." Prosecutors didn't comment on the validity of Kirstie's assault claims in their press release.

James allegedly told authorities that when he confronted Moreno, the victim "tried to kick him and fight him off, and Mr. Lynch responded by, again, beating Mr. Moreno with the frying pan." Prosecutors pointed out that while James was 6'4" and weighed 400 pounds at the time, Moreno was just 5'7" and 130 pounds -- with James allegedly saying the victim "was possessed with a 'demon'-like strength and would not be subdued." So, James then allegedly grabbed a baseball bat to hit him, before the two are accused of using a belt to whip Moreno, and a dog leash to strangle him.

As for why he was found naked, prosecutors had no explanation -- but said James claimed "he made Mr. Moreno take a shower due to his bleeding."

Both were indicted on first-degree murder charges, before Lynch accepted a plea agreement in May 2025. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, plus six months supervision after his release. The judge reportedly gave James a sentence above the guidelines, due to the "horrendous nature of the offense."

Kristie, meanwhile, will be sentenced January 16.

"It is possible to kill another person in an instant using a gun, but to beat and strangle another person to death takes serious physical exertion and a sustained determination to inflict pain and to kill," said Fatehi in the release. "It hurts the heart to imagine what Mr. Moreno experienced at the hands of the Lynches and the agony he felt as he died. The excuses the Lynches offered for their crimes were no excuse, and each of them will now face their consequences."

Fatehi concluded, "We will continue to stand up for people who, like Mr. Moreno, can no longer call for justice themselves and to prosecute those people who hurt vulnerable victims."

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.