Nightmare In Nevada: The Traumatic Tale of Kirstin Lobato

In August 2002, teenager Kirstin Lobato was convicted of first-degree murder for the brutal killing of a man she had never met. After spending over 16 years in prison, she was finally exonerated

Depiction of Kirstin Lobato

*Warning: This Article Contains Sensitive Subject Matter*

Background

In 2001, 18-year-old Kirstin Blaise Lobato lived with her parents in Panaca, Nevada. An admitted drug user at the time, she often went out in search of methamphetamine to satisfy her habit.

In May of that year, she returned from one such trip with a story she shared with at least nine friends. According to Kirstin, she had parked her car in a motel parking lot near the Budget Suites Hotel on Boulder Highway in Las Vegas and was exiting her vehicle when a man approached her.

The man grabbed her, and as she struggled to get away, he slapped her across the face and told her, “Shut up, bitch!” According to Kirstin, the man was attempting to rape her when she pulled out the butterfly knife she carried for self-protection and slashed his groin leaving the man writhing in pain. She then fled the area.