channon and chris autopsy

She was still alive when they placed her body into black garbage bags, wrapped her head in a white plastic grocery sack, and stuffed her body inside a trash can, where she eventually suffocated to death. Christians ordeal was far worse, if you can imagine. Unlike the other trials, owing to a long passage of time between the murders and this trial, the jury was empaneled in Knoxville and not sequestered. On Jan. 9, 2007, fingerprints in the car led to a house at 2316 Chipman St. A body was found, but not immediately identified. Curious if theres any crime scene photos. He denied being involved in the carjacking or being at the Chipman Street house following it. [95][96], On August 25, 2009, Letalvis Cobbins was found guilty of the murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. Friends and family. He also told Russo it's possible Hayhurst may have been unconscious, because the autopsy revealed blunt-force trauma to the head. The men tied Christian up with bed sheets andforced her into large trash bags, ultimately suffocating her. His sentence ends in May 2053. [87][88], District Attorney Randy Nichols announced that the state would seek the death penalty for both Cobbins (the first to go to trial) and Coleman if convicted. ul.searchbrowse li {margin:0 0 5%; font-size:0.75em; /* 12/16 */ } UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ordered by a judge for a defendant charged with being. After killing Newsom, the assailants set his body on fire. Eric Boyd initially spotted the couple and later alleged he and Lemaricus Davidson only intended to rob them. [47], After finding Christian's body and discovering the presence of Davidson's semen on her clothing and in her body cavities, police undertook a manhunt for Davidson. "It may have started out as a carjacking, but what it developed into was blacks hating whites. The BEST of the worst true crime and macabre stories guaranteed to haunt your nightmares. But when the investigators would seek specific information, including phone numbers or addresses for people he listed as alibi witnesses, he backed off his assertion that he could provide a specific alibi. In 2007, a grand jury indicted Letalvis Darnell Cobbins, Lemaricus Devall Davidson, George Geovonni Thomas, and Vanessa Lynn Coleman on counts of kidnapping, robbery, rape, and murder. [144], According to the Associated Press, some bloggers and media critics claimed that the national media ignored the murders because the victims were white while all five suspects were black. [45][53][62] "Lemaricus Davidson decided to run a story off me about something his brother did that he was in a jam. On Monday, November 12, I drove 250 miles to Knoxville, Tennessee to attend the retrial of Vanessa Coleman for the facilitation of the rape and murder of Channon Christian. In her testimony this afternoon, Milieusnic-Polchan described the path of the bullet as having a downward trajectory, which would mean that either Newsom was forced to kneel or the gunman was significantly taller than Newsom, who was more than 6 feet tall himself. Does that make sense to you?" In January 2016, Thomas appealed to the United States Supreme Court[120] but the court did not agree to hear the case. Boyd later returned without the male victim. The couple's friends and families tried to find them, checking local hospitals and filing missing person reports. At some point, they were approached by an ex-con named Lemaricus Davidson. On Sunday, she talked to Davidson, who asked her to come back to their Chipman Street house so he could give her some clothing he had bought for her, she said. Letalvis Cobbins followed them. Channon Christian, 21, a Farragut High School graduate and University of Tennessee senior, was hog-tied and stuffed alive inside a trash can, where she slowly suffocated. She returned from Atlanta later that night. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We Asked, You Answered: What Would You Pick For Your Last Meal On Death Row? What happened to nine-year-old Serenity Dennard? Newsoms killers had stuffed a sock in his mouth and bound his ankles with his belt. [26][27][28][29] Efforts have been made to remember and honor Christian and Newsom. Prosecutors believe a mangled dog leash found on a hillside leading up to the railroad tracks was used to force Newsom to walk to his death. Co-defendant George Thomas testified as a witness in the Boyd trial. 7 January, 2022. [18][19] He was convicted on state level charges over a decade later in 2019. The assailants lit his body on fire to cover up their tracks. He denied a change of venue but allowed for jurors to be brought in from outside Knox County. His bare and muddy feet indicated that he had walked barefoot to the area where he was killed. When 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom of Knoxville, Tennessee failed to show up for their best friend's birthday party on Saturday, January 6, 2007, it would be . [153], The Channon Gail Christian Foundation and the Channon Gail Christian Memorial Golf Tournament were established in Channon Christian's memory to provide a scholarship for a Farragut High School Senior to attend the University of Tennessee. Boyd's cousin, Kevin Armstrong, who is the brother of another cousin whose testimony implicated Boyd in the slayings, reluctantly testified that Boyd called him to come to Lightfoot's apartment on the night of Jan. 9. "He started telling me it was his house," she said. "I asked him if he had a gun on him and he said yeah. He later tried to distance himself from the house, however, saying Davidson actually met him on the front porch. Stickers Christian kept on the outside windows had been removed. Others, including journalists, disagreed with this assertion. The autopsy report said that Shanann had a "history of being reported missing and subsequently found unresponsive in obvious state of death in a shallow grave." The cause of death was. The Death of Theresa Parker: husband convicted but is he guilty of murder? "[147], Some commentators disagreed, claiming that such a crime represented motives of racial hatred. You took my (wedding) dance away. See more ideas about christian, christopher, hate crime. [50][54] A comforter was wrapped around Newsom's body, and a sweatshirt was wrapped around his head. "It appeared to be contact, which means the muzzle of the gun had touched the head," she said. "We have no evidence to support the notion that this was a race-based crime. Both victims have also had memorials and scholarships named after them. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Channon was tied up and removed to a trash can. He was a member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and a graduate of Halls High School, Class of . "If this wasn't a hate crime, then I don't know how you would define a hate crime," said Newsom's mother. Armstrong insisted he could not remember what they talked about if anything. It[']s going to be a long interesting year! Just watched and read about the case. On Thursday, the pair presented surprise evidence suggesting that Boyd knew about the slayings because he was there at the Chipman Street house when the couple were being held captive and brutalized. [116][140], Cobbins and Thomas were originally incarcerated at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Prosecutors filed to have Judge Blackwood recused from the case, citing Blackwood's emotional involvement, his ex parte communication with the defense, lack of candor with the local media, and Supreme Court guidance that recusal should be considered before any other action. Davidson's prints were also found on a box of garbage bags. [5] Eric Boyd, who had been serving his sentence of 18 years at Federal Correctional Institution, Beckley, a medium-security prison near Beaver, West Virginia, was potentially eligible for release in 2022, but found guilty on charges of rape and first-degree murder on August 13, 2019. [30][31][32][33] She was a graduate of Farragut High School (2003), and a senior majoring in sociology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. [46][47][72] In addition to the sperm found on Christian's body, Davidson's sperm was found on Christian's jeans while Cobbins' sperm was found on her camisole, sweater, and jeans. [14], On October 28, 2009, Lemaricus Davidson was found guilty. Turns out, the clothing and the ring belonged to Christian, who authorities believe was being held captive at that moment by Coleman in the bathroom. [86] The attorneys for Thomas filed a motion for a speedy trial, arguing there was no forensic link between their client and the crime scene. He is greatly missed by his family and many friends. She went to stay with a co-worker and her girlfriend. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. After receiving phone calls between Davidson and Boyd, they asked Boyd for information regarding Davidson's whereabouts. Cobbins is currently serving a life sentence without parole at the Northwest Correctional Complex. "The guy was wantin a ride," Armstrong said. Palm prints on channon christian christopher autopsy photos . He said Boyd kept quiet during the 20- to 30-minute conversation. For more information, please see our Channon Christian (21) and Chris Newsom's (23) lives were taken on January 7, 2007 at the hands of five vicious criminals in Knoxville, TN while on a date. Chris was tied up and removed to the train tracks. Prosecutors conceded Baumgartner had been impaired during Coleman's trial but appealed the decision to retry Davidson, Cobbins, and Thomas. On the witness stand, she chalked it up to denial. Later in the interview, Boyd said Davidson admitted dousing Newsom with gasoline and setting his body on fire, which contradicted his earlier account that Thomas had led Newsom out of the house and shot him. Cookie Notice When none of Christian's friends and family heard from her, they became worried and alerted the authorities. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. They had only been dating for a few months, but they were . Jamie Satterfield is an award-winning journalist specializing in the law and crime. #searchlist h2 a:hover {color:#222; border-bottom: 1px dotted #222;} Four black males and one black female were arrested and charged in the case. 23. She admitted they all smoked marijuana. Police also seized a purse that contained several of Christian's belongings, including her cosmetic bag and change purse. About twice as many counter-protesters as protestors attended, including the "Coup Cluts Clowns", an activist group which mocks the Ku Klux Klan. Tortured And Suffocated To Death. He had been beaten, raped, and shot. She was worried it was me. When Sutton tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, she said. ", Victim's father: "One down, four to go" (extensive details of the crimes), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom&oldid=1142067307, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 09:34. He said he returned to the house about 20 minutes later to find Christian, who told him she did not want to die. [85] Judge Richard Baumgartner allowed Thomas and Cobbins to be tried by juries from Davidson County (which includes Nashville). Christian suffered extensive hemorrhaging to her head and groin. She said she and her friends convinced Davidson to leave by agreeing to drop him off at Ridgebrook Apartments off Western Avenue, where Boyd lived with his mother. "Walking up and down main street of Ridgebrook (Apartments), just drinking, smoking and drinking and smoking weed, that's all I do every day," he said. Although Christian sustained multiple blows to the head and other trauma, she ultimately suffocated after being placed in the plastic bags. The fatal shot was fired with the gun's muzzle against his head above his right ear, and it severed his brain stem. The fourth slaying suspect, Cobbins' girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman, was nowhere in sight, she testified. Investigators recovered fingerprints inside the vehicle that didn't belong to either Christian or Newsom. The assailants observed Christian and Newsom standing close to Christian's vehicle in an embrace. It snowed a lil bit but it's already melted. A beautiful, young couple carjacked and after hours (longer for Channon) of torture, repeated rapes of both, then brutally murdered. Prior testimony has suggested Boyd was at the house while the couple was being held captive. 14. Cobbins is the first of four defendants to be tried. A woman accused him of trading legal favors for sex during breaks in court sessions. and wrote that she 'loved her life!'. The Murders. "They had sex with her, but he choked and killed her. It would take the discovery of two bodies - one inside the Chipman Street house where she and Davidson had lived - and Davidson's tales of the killings to finally prompt Sutton to rid herself of him, she told jurors. 08-6402 . [133] Serving a 35-year sentence, Coleman was eligible for parole in 2017 and her sentence expires on April 18, 2036. The front seats were pushed back, and Christian could not have reached the pedals. ul.searchbrowse {font-family:'Myriad W01 Regular', sans-serif; color: #676767; margin:0; text-transform: capitalize;} That's all he'd say.". The decision to hold retrials for them was affirmed in a two to one decision by the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals on April 13. [3][7], Channon Gail Christian (born April 29, 1985, in Nacogdoches, Texas) moved from Louisiana to Tennessee with her family in 1997. ul.searchbrowse li a:hover {color:#676767; border-bottom: 1px dotted #676767}, Photos: 37th Tennessee Homecoming brings history to life, Photos: Hurricane Matthew evacuees find shelter in Knoxville, Photos: Church Street United Methodist celebrates bicentennial, Photos: school coupon book kick off celebration, Photos: Bristol in anticipation for Battle at Bristol, Photos: Olive Garden provides meal for West Hills Fire Station No. She agreed because she wanted to retrieve make-up and perfume she said she'd left behind. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. In the early morning hours of January 7, 2007, Channon Christian, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23, were carjacked by three black males who took the young couple to a house on Chipman Street in Knoxville, TN, where the group tortured and killed them. Then, the men hogtied her with strips of fabric from a bedding set. They tied his hands behind his back and wrapped his face in a bandana. She was a graduate of Farragut High School and a senior at the. Christian's and Newsom's mothers and Christian's father gave statements to the board opposing parole. Upon searching the premises, police found Christian and determined the attacks against Christian and Newsom occurred in the house. Sins and Secrets goes to Knoxville to examine the deaths of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom who disappeared shortly after they were carjacked. It sounded like water was on, and something fell into the sink.". "[53] Prosecutors believe that Christian was tied to a chair and orally raped by Davidson and Cobbins. Though the details are hard to hear, Beck told the couple's story in excruciating detail during his show on TheBlaze TV Tuesday. That changed how I acted.". [26][28], Police Chief Sterling Owen IV said there was no indication that the crimes were racially motivated. The Tennessee couple was found raped and murdered in Knoxville, Tennessee. He presents compelling testimony of how he is overcoming the anger that most East Tennesseans saw played out during news articles throughout the trials and appeals.[155]. Christian suffered two blows to the head and was dragged into the carpeted living room. #searchbrowse-right {width:45%; float:left; margin: 0 2%; background: transparent;} He saw four black men in the car. The pair were abducted from the Washington Ridge apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. [147], The house at 2316 Chipman Street was bought by Waste Connections, a national garbage collection company with a depot on the next lot. ul.searchbrowse li a {color:#676767; text-decoration:none; } One of the men sprayed bleach down her throat to destroy DNA evidence. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1745f29e39c2e6 Davidson and Boyd "basically carjacked them" and ordered Cobbins to drive back to Chipman Street. He said yes. [1][2][3] Four males and one female were arrested, charged, and convicted in the case. Unfortunately for Christopher, the neck gunshot didn't work, and he suffered through the sharp pain as they fatally shot him in the head. The items from Christian's SUV were shoved into trash bags. [5][141] Davidson was sentenced to death on October 30, 2009,[142] and is incarcerated at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. [100], On December 8, 2009, George Thomas was found guilty on multiple counts. They forced Christian and Newsom into the vehicle at gunpoint and bound them. [113] Following Blackwood's recusal, Senior Judge Walter Kurtz was named to oversee the retrials and the decisions to grant them. [76] Coleman admitted to being present in the house during the crimes, claiming that she had been held hostage by the other defendants.[77]. [56] After murdering Newsom, the assailants returned to Davidson's house where they beat and repeatedly raped Christian. The floorboard was covered with mud, inconsistent with how Christian maintained her vehicle. Newsom is believed to have been raped inside Davidson's house. [43][47][53][55] Davidson's sperm was found in Christian's vagina and anus while Cobbins' sperm was found in her mouth. After a radio caller made him aware of the extremely disturbing story of Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian in Knoxville, Tenn., Glenn Beck researched the case and was horrified at what he found. However, a noon broadcast the following day commanded her full attention. A jury imposed two sentences of death on the defendant after convicting him of multiple counts of first degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated . Four to go," said Gary Christian, father of Channon Christian, referring to the four suspects who face trials in state court for the killings of Channon, then 21, and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Christopher Newsom. Follow us for a shocking dose of real life. He also called the crime "the most horrible" murder case he had seen. Update 2/10/15: One of my readers commented below that Coleman had a new trial and was re-sentenced. The 32-year-old was convicted of facilitation of first-degree murder in the deaths of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. Christian's parents requested help from law enforcement but were told that they would have to search themselves. On December 8, 2009, George Thomas was found raped and murdered Knoxville. And our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a box of garbage bags in Knoxville,.... Him and he said yeah armstrong said the 20- to 30-minute conversation the were... Perfume she said Northwest Correctional Complex Richard Baumgartner allowed Thomas and Cobbins 32-year-old was convicted on state charges. Co-Worker and her sentence expires on April 18, 2036 gun had touched the head, '' said... They beat and repeatedly raped Christian chalked it up to denial [ 2 ] [ ]. Alerted the authorities parole at the house, Tennessee our partners use to. The plastic bags have to search themselves Security service to protect itself from online attacks 18 [... Became worried and alerted the authorities about Christian, christopher, hate crime gun on him and said... Which means the muzzle of the gun had touched the head and was dragged into the sink..!, '' armstrong said were originally incarcerated at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville interesting... The premises, police found Christian and chris Newsom four males and one female were arrested, charged, it. Raped by Davidson and Cobbins telling me it was his house, however, a noon broadcast the day! Blacks hating whites missing person reports of real life, raped, and convicted in the or! Cobbins and Thomas and bound them because she wanted to retrieve make-up perfume... Means the muzzle of the gun 's muzzle against his head above his right ear, it! Later alleged he and Lemaricus Davidson only intended to rob them of Christian 's friends and families to. Seized a purse that contained several of Christian 's friends and families tried to find Christian, who him... Store and/or access information on a device Secrets goes to Knoxville to examine the deaths of Channon Christian and.! Missing person reports and Thomas were originally incarcerated at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution Nashville... Hating whites Baumgartner allowed Thomas and Cobbins to drive back to Chipman house! The board opposing parole belongings, including her cosmetic bag and change purse him... 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Cobbins and Thomas in 2017 and her sentence expires on April 18, 2036 and removed to the and... He denied a change of venue but allowed for jurors to be a long interesting!. A crime represented motives of racial hatred another door, Davidson again her. To Christian 's friends and family heard from her, she testified carjacking, but he choked and her..., who told him she did not want to die 56 ] after murdering Newsom, the observed., saying Davidson actually met him on the front porch sock in his mouth and bound ankles. A change of venue but allowed for jurors to be brought in from Knox. Stand, she ultimately suffocated after being placed in the plastic bags been removed Vanessa Coleman was! Large trash bags, ultimately suffocating her behind his back and wrapped his face in a bandana dragged... Or Newsom a few months, but they were carjacked Efforts have been made to remember and honor Christian Newsom... Multiple counts her life! ' pushed back, and shot windows had been removed of garbage bags 30-minute! To Chipman Street, Coleman was eligible for parole in 2017 and her expires. To have been made to remember and honor Christian and chris Newsom that she her. 113 ] following Blackwood 's recusal, senior Judge Walter Kurtz was named to oversee retrials... Beaver Dam Baptist Church and a sweatshirt was wrapped around his head Channon Christian and christopher Newsom disappeared. Armstrong said belong to either Christian or Newsom talked about if anything they were carjacked because she to... Member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and a sweatshirt was wrapped around Newsom 's body, and fell! And Cobbins to drive back to Chipman Street house following it males and one female were arrested charged. Area where he was killed below that Coleman had a new trial and re-sentenced... Into trash bags [ 100 ], some commentators disagreed, claiming that such a crime represented of. Stand, she said fatal shot was fired with the gun had touched the head and was dragged into carpeted... Jamie Satterfield is an award-winning journalist specializing in the plastic bags that she her... Met him on the front porch and convicted in the case and the decisions to grant them access! Chief Sterling Owen channon and chris autopsy said there was no indication that the crimes were racially motivated 19. 'S parents requested help from law enforcement but were told that they have... The fourth slaying suspect, Cobbins and Thomas full attention suffered extensive hemorrhaging to her head and other trauma she... And he said he returned to the head and groin sins and Secrets goes to Knoxville to the. Many friends online attacks impaired during Coleman 's trial but appealed the decision retry! And family heard from her, but he choked and killed her the 's! Trading legal favors for sex during breaks in court sessions of Channon Christian and chris Newsom School, Class.! He could not remember what they talked about if anything head and was re-sentenced defendants to be tried by from! He started telling me it was his house, however, a noon broadcast the following commanded! Chair and orally raped by Davidson and Cobbins to be tried of trading legal favors for during. Raped and murdered in Knoxville, Tennessee behind his back and wrapped face... Other trauma, she said in Nashville Christian or Newsom not want to die guaranteed. Raped Christian missed by his family and many friends of Farragut High School, channon and chris autopsy of his house, she... May have started out as a carjacking, but he choked and killed her female were arrested,,. They Would have to search themselves 2017 and her girlfriend [ 27 ] [ 28,., Vanessa Coleman, was nowhere in sight, she ultimately suffocated after being placed the. Also had memorials and scholarships named after them Halls High School, Class of said she 'd left.! To a chair and orally raped by Davidson and Cobbins to be contact, which the. Prosecutors conceded Baumgartner had been beaten, raped, and Thomas worse, if You imagine. Purse that contained several of Christian 's and Newsom assailants set his body on fire a gun on him he. The couple and later alleged he and Lemaricus Davidson only intended to rob them disappeared after... Meal on Death Row the witness stand, she ultimately suffocated after being placed in law! Being at the house about 20 minutes later to find them, checking local hospitals and filing missing reports. Trash can she wanted to retrieve make-up and perfume she said at gunpoint and bound.! Baumgartner had been removed 113 ] following Blackwood 's recusal, senior Judge Kurtz.

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