Man killed his wife and used insurance payout to buy life-sized sex doll just months after murder

A man sentenced to life in prison for his wife's murder used money from an insurance payout to buy a life-sized sex doll, investigators said.

The gruesome murder unfolded in the early hours of Halloween morning in 2019 when Colby Trickle dialled 911, reporting that his 26-year-old wife, Kristen Trickle, had shot herself in their home in Hays, Kansas. Sergeant Brandon Hauptman, responding to the call from the Hays Police Department, found himself questioning the circumstances after conversing with Trickle and assessing the scene.

Despite his suspicions, the coroner, Dr Lyle Noordhoek, declared Kristen's death a suicide three days later. Although Trickle was cleared, investigators persisted in their inquiries.

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Trickle, an Army Reserve member, cashed in on two life insurance policies totalling more than $120,000 (£94,000), and just two days later, he purchased a life-sized sex doll for $1,942 (£1,536), among other expenditures, according to investigators.

Detective Joshua "JB" Burkholder expressed concern over the timing and nature of Trickle's spending, considering the short period following his wife's demise. He told CBS News: "There's a mourning process that I think everyone needs to go through — should go through when a loved one dies — and to have him ordering this type of doll just months after his wife's death was concerning."

The revelation of Trickle's use of the insurance money shocked Kristen's aunt, Delynn Rice. She said: "I was just appalled that he would use Kristen's life insurance money for a sex doll. It just was like he bought a replacement of her with her money."

Assistant Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham said Trickle spent all of the insurance money within eight months on various items, including the sex doll.

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Despite initial suspicions raised by Hauptman regarding the scene's anomalies, Trickle remained free for nearly two years. However, inconsistencies in his accounts, coupled with investigations revealing his fabrications regarding military service, deepened suspicions surrounding Kristen's death.

In July 2021, 21 months following Kristen's passing, Trickle faced charges of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. His trial in September 2023 unveiled further details, including his purchase of the sex doll, which his mother, Tina Kreutzer, attempted to justify as a source of comfort rather than for sexual purposes. However, this explanation failed to sway the jury or Kristen's family members.

The prosecution's psychologist, Dr. Ashley Christiansen, cast doubt on Kristen's likelihood of committing suicide in a psychological autopsy. Ultimately, Trickle was found guilty, receiving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 50 years in November 2023, more than four years after Kristen Trickle's tragic death.

If you have been affected by domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge's 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free on 0808 2000 247.

If in the US, you can contact the National Domestic Violence hotline www.thehotline.org at 1-800-799-7233. Advocates are available 24/7 and can also be reached by texting "START" to 88788 or "LOVEIS" to 22522.