UPDATED: Bedford County woman sentenced in death of much-older boyfriend I am so confused. I really am. The story of recently sentenced Kristina Pongracz is so very confusing to me for the future, past and present of the death penalty. Kristina is the Virginia woman who beat and partially skinned her long-time, much older boyfriend. She admittedly is a bi-polar, alcoholic who just lost it. She 29, he 77- met while she worked at Victoria's Secret. She left when he offered her a job as his personal assistant way back when she was 19. She eventually lived in his mansion with him for a decade. When he tried to end the relationship and throw her out she became enraged and beat him with his own cane. They charged her with 2nd degree murder. She was sentenced to 15 years. She will serve 13 because shes already been in jail for 2 years. I am at a loss as to how she is charged with only 2nd degree murder when she admitted to the ...