Claudia "Cris" Cristina Hoerig shot and killed her husband in March 2007 then fled to Brazil before her husband's body could be discovered. Brazil is not cooperating with the U.S. in extraditing the fugitive.
Major Karl Hoerig's memory lives on at Youngstown, Ohio Air Force Reserve Base as a friend and a fellow airman who served his country. He was a pilot both in the military and on civilian side and flew over 200 combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq with the 910th Airlift Wing's Hercules C-130's. He served for 25 years in the military.
Karl met his wife, Chris, online and they were married in Las Vegas in 2005. It is reported that their marriage was rocky. Karl had even confided in colleagues at Southwest Airlines that he was unhappy in his marriage and afraid his wife may try something. He was planning on moving out on March 12, 2007. On that fateful day he was shot 3 times ,twice in the back and one point blank in the back of his head, and left for dead by the suspect, Claudia Christina Hoerig.
According to the Trumbull County Sheriff Christina purchased a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver with a laser tracking device at a shop in Braceville, OH two days before the murder. She then practiced at a shooting range in Warren, OH and had the handle of the gun fitted for her small hand. After committing the unthinkable she then used her privilege as a pilot's wife and procured a free flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil the same day. The
America's Most Wanted website calls the murder of Karl Hoerig premeditated and cruel.
According to
militarycorruption.com Chris dumped Karl's body in the basement, emptied his bank accounts which amounted to around $10,000 and wired $9,000 more to family in Brazil.
Her vicious ways were not limited to Karl, it has been revealed that she ran up thousands of dollars in credit card debt with a previous husband.
Dr. Thomas J. Bote said he was married to "the hellion" from 1990-99. He told cops that she was both mentally and physically abusive to him. Her dishonesty about finances caused many a fight. At one point, the doctor said, his former wife had 20 credit cards going and was bleeding him dry.
When the credit card debts piled up to the max, he couldn't stand it any more, and they had a big battle. The mild-mannered doc lost. He told investigators when he confronted her about the wild spending she laughed and presented him with divorce papers.
Claudia Christina Hoerig
Six months have passed and Brazil still has not cooperated with extraditing Christina who has a warrant out for her arrest. Karl's family was reluctant to speak with the media and wanted to give law enforcers and investigators time to work on the case. The pain they have felt finally led to plea to the public to write to their congressmen and senators and exert pressure on Brazil to return the fugitive who is living freely and has not been arrested by Brazilian authorities.
The plea has been herd by Congressman Tim Ryan, representative of the 17th district of which Newton Falls, Karl Hoerig's residence, falls under.
Tim Ryan is ready to introduce legislation which will put pressure on the Brazilian government. He says two pieces have been drafted that would call for re-negotiating the US/Brazil Treaty, and limit foreign aid to that country.
Last year the United States gave 14 million dollars to Brazil.
Congressman Ryan is prepared to introduce the legislation if Brazil refuses to extradite Hoerig, and will also be working on legislation to put restrictions on people traveling from Brazil to the United States as well as tariffs on Brazilian products.
"If they say she is not coming back, we drop the legislation immediately, " Ryan told reporters. "They need to know we are fed up."
Claudia Christina Hoerig has dual citizenship in the United States and Brazil and is hiding behind Brazilian policy that allows the country to refuse extradition of its citizens.
