Kristina Joy Fetters was born on February 5, 1980. She grew up in Iowa. Not much is widely known about her family life and childhood. However, it is noted that she faced difficulties during her early years, leading to behaviors that required attention.

In January 1994, when Kristina was 14 years old, she was sent to a facility called Orchard Place. This facility was located in Des Moines and was meant for children with behavioral or mental health issues. While at Orchard Place, Kristina was prescribed a medication called Prozac, which is often used to treat depression.

 She reportedly struggled with her surroundings and expressed her feelings to others. During her stay, she discussed plans with other girls at Orchard Place. These plans were concerning and involved thoughts about her great-aunt Arlene Klehm.

In January 1994, Kristina Fetters was placed in Orchard Place, a facility in Des Moines for children with behavior or mental health issues. On October 25, 1994, Kristina and her roommate, Jeanie Fox, escaped from the facility. They hitchhiked to the home of Kristina's great-aunt, Arlene Klehm, in northern Polk County, Iowa. Kristina had allegedly told other girls at Orchard Place about her plan to rob and kill her great-aunt.

Once they arrived at Arlene's house, the two girls waited for visitors to leave. When they entered, Kristina struck Arlene on the head with a frying pan. After that, she tried to cut Arlene's throat and then stabbed her in the back with a paring knife. They attempted to steal from the house but could not find the keys to the safe or Arlene's truck, so they left.

Later, when police arrived at the home, they discovered the crime. That same night, Kristina Fetters was arrested. She confessed to the murder. Kristina was charged with first-degree murder. Her case moved from juvenile court to district court, where she was tried as an adult. She pleaded insanity, claiming she did not fully understand her actions. However, a psychologist for the prosecution argued that she had planned the murder carefully. This was supported by the testimonies of three girls from Orchard Place, including Jeanie Fox. A jury found Kristina guilty of first-degree murder.

On December 18, 1995, Kristina was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She served her time at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women. Kristina appealed her conviction multiple times, but these appeals were denied. In 2008, her lawyers filed a petition against her life sentence, saying it violated constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment.

In 2010, the Supreme Court case Graham v. Florida acknowledged that children and adults are different, especially in how their brains develop. This led to another case in 2012, Miller v. Alabama, which ruled that mandatory life sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional. As Kristina prepared for a new sentencing hearing in 2013, she was diagnosed with inoperable breast cancer.

In November 2013, she was re-sentenced by a judge to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The judge recommended that Kristina be paroled due to her serious illness. In December 2013, the Iowa Parole Board granted her hospice-only parole. This made Kristina the first juvenile convicted of murder to be released after a life sentence in Iowa.

Kristina spent seven months in hospice care before she died from cancer on July 27, 2014, at the age of 34.