On a summer day in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the life of 36-year-old Kristina Fenstermaker was tragically cut short. On July 26, 2018, the woman was shot multiple times by her live-in boyfriend, Matthew Jensen, who was 33 years old at the time. The events that unfolded that day were described by the First Assistant District Attorney as stemming from a volatile combination of mental illness and methamphetamine use.
The violence erupted at their home, and responding police officers discovered Kristina bleeding on the front lawn from several gunshot wounds. The situation quickly escalated, prompting a significant police presence and the deployment of a SWAT team, which surrounded the residence under the belief that the armed suspect was still inside. Authorities ordered Jensen to surrender, but their commands went unanswered. It was later discovered that he had managed to flee the scene before the perimeter was fully established.
A manhunt for Jensen ensued, lasting for approximately seven hours. The search came to a quiet conclusion not in Allentown, but across state lines in Pohatcong Township, New Jersey. There, outside a Walmart store, law enforcement officers located and apprehended Matthew Jensen without any resistance.
In the face of the evidence against him, Jensen ultimately chose to avoid a trial. In April 2019, he appeared in a Lehigh County courtroom and pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in connection with Kristina Fenstermaker's death. In addition to the murder charge, he also admitted to a firearms offense. Following his plea, Matthew Jensen was sentenced to serve a term of 18 to 40 years in state prison for his crimes.
