Inmate's Prison Wedding Celebrated as 'God's Plan' While Victim's Mother Mourns
A convicted murderer serving an 18-year sentence has married a European woman in a prison ceremony, with his family praising the union as part of "God's design," while the mother of his teenage victim says the news has reopened painful wounds that "never heal."
Details of the Crime and Conviction
Zakary Howard, 32, was convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the 2015 killing of 19-year-old Matthew Christensen in Buckeye, Arizona. Howard and co-defendant Richard Burns, who fatally shot the teenager, lured Matthew behind Inca Elementary School under the pretense of selling him prescription painkillers, having already planned to rob him.
During the encounter, Burns pulled out a rifle and shot Matthew multiple times before the pair stole his wallet, phone, and car. They drove away, stopped for food, and returned approximately 25 minutes later, where Howard observed that Matthew was still breathing. Instead of calling for help, both men left him to die and abandoned his car nearby.
Burns, who was 18 at the time and fired the fatal shots, is currently serving a 25-year sentence. Howard, now prisoner number 311604, is due for release in 2033 when he will be 39 years old.
The Prison Wedding and Family Reactions
Howard married Julia Cichon, a Polish native living in Germany, in a prison ceremony in late March. The couple formed a relationship in 2023 through prison video calls and phone conversations. Howard's father announced the wedding on Facebook, stating that their "life stories, journeys and experiences have merged beautifully by God's design" and that their relationship was "built entirely upon the foundation of their relationship with Jesus Christ."
The ceremony was described as "amazing," attended by family members including Howard's brother, who traveled from his Air Force base to serve as best man, and his grandmother, praised as a "pillar of strength." Photos show Julia in a white dress outside Graham County Courthouse in Safford, Arizona, smiling with Howard's family as they went out to eat in the prison parking lot.
The family asked for prayers for the couple, asserting that "God has a special design upon their union." Julia did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Mail.
Victim's Mother's Heartbreaking Response
For Chrissy Christensen, 59, Matthew's mother, the news of the wedding has been devastating. She told the Daily Mail, "My son will never get to have that life. I'm never going to get to talk to him until I die. I'm never going to have grandchildren… or dance at his wedding or any of those things."
Chrissy, who describes herself as a Christian, said she struggles to understand the decision to marry while Howard remains incarcerated. "I can't be hateful because I'm a Christian," she said. "But I don't know if that's right to let people get married like that. I mean, I think it's okay to have relationships, fine, whatever. But why can't it wait till he gets out?"
She also questioned the timing, suggesting, "Part of me is wondering, why does it need to be married so bad right now? Was it to get her here in the States?"
Howard's Background and Alleged Transformation
Howard grew up in a religious household where his father was a pastor and was heavily involved in church as a teenager, participating in worship. He later admitted to a period of drug use and "rebellion" in the years leading up to the killing. Following incarceration, his family claims he rededicated his life to God and now takes part in Bible study with other inmates.
However, Chrissy questions the honesty of this narrative. "If he really turned away from drugs… his dad just kept talking about how it was marijuana," she said. "You don't go to the prison rehab for marijuana." She also noted that Howard's family never sent a card or apology, unlike Burns' family, who visited, apologized, cried with them, and contributed to a GoFundMe.
Despite this, Chrissy admitted she felt Howard showed remorse in court and seemed embarrassed by his family's statements. "I hope he really has turned his life around," she said. "And I really hope he has turned toward Jesus. If he really has turned his life around… then praise God."
Remembering Matthew Christensen
Chrissy described her son as a "good-hearted boy" who was always trying to help others and a "class clown" who made her laugh. She recalled the last time she saw him, telling him to turn his phone off so Howard and Burns would leave him alone. "I fell asleep… and if I'd have been awake, he wouldn't have left," she said. "I think he thought, 'I'll go run and give them a ride real quick. I'll be back before mom wakes up,' and then… he never came home."
Reflecting on her grief, Chrissy added, "I miss him. I miss him so much. People think time heals it - it doesn't. You just learn to carry it."
