Suspect sentenced after pleading no contest to killing Santa Fe firefighter
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The fate of a woman who stabbed a firefighter to death has been determined.
Chrystyne Sanchez faced a judge Monday after pleading no contest to the charges related to the stabbing, which she claims was in self-defense.
Christian Reid was a wild land firefighter in Santa Fe, and a Jemez Pueblo member. He lost his life in a northeast Albuquerque apartment on Feb. 4, 2019.
Reid was killed by his girlfriend Sanchez, also known as Amber. She told police Reid threatened her with a knife, so she stabbed him.
She was arrested in 2022 following a robbery at a Santa Fe Home Depot.
After her arrest, she was charged with Reid’s death. In October 2023, she pleaded no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Her first sentencing hearing was held in May. While prosecutors pushed for an eight-year sentence, Judge Lucy Solimon sentenced her to two years in jail followed by probation.
During her probation, she would be required to complete mental health court. But in July, the mental health court rejected Sanchez, resulting in a second sentencing hearing Monday.
Judge Solimon amended the sentence to require Sanchez now complete drug court.
“That is actually more intense than mental health court in this probation,” said Solimon.
Members of Reid’s family addressed the court Monday, saying Sanchez painted Reid as an abuser. The family claimed it was Sanchez who had the true history of domestic abuse.
“Christian had came home to Jemez one time limping on one side of his leg. I asked him what’s wrong, he told me ‘Amber hit me with her car,’” said Reid’s aunt.
But the judge made it clear the sentence wasn’t changing.
“I’m not going back on my decision,” said Solimon.
Sanchez is set to get out of jail on Jan. 6. She will then have to go through drug court.
If she fails to follow the conditions of her release, or doesn’t complete drug court, she faces additional jail time.
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