[10][51] Though there was semen inside of Newsom's body, DNA in the semen had been destroyed by the fire. The pair were abducted from the Washington Ridge apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was speaking to a male. They were kidnapped the evening of January 6, 2007 when Christian's vehicle was carjacked, and taken to a rental house, where both of them were raped, tortured, and murdered. [64][65][66], Newsom's body was discovered near a set of nearby railroad tracks on January 7 at 12:20 pm by a Norfolk Southern Railroad employee. Tipton and McKnight pressed him for an alibi. 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 the same day she left Davidson, she went out with a man she only identified as "Black" to "eat and hang out." [3][49][55] Prosecutors believe that Coleman held Christian captive while the male offenders were murdering Newsom. The Newsoms hope . One of the charges against the 41-year-old Moore is torture. She was worried it was me. [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. The forensic expert began her testimony this afternoon in the trial of Eric Dewayne "E" Boyd, who's charged with being an accessory to carjacking for hiding out suspect Lemaricus "Slim" Davidson, the alleged ringleader in the carjacking, torture and slaying of Newsom and his girlfriend, Channon Christian, 21, in January 2007. Palm prints on channon christian christopher autopsy photos . CHRIS NEWSOM OBITUARY. He pleaded guilty to official misconduct. It's a right-and-wrong issue. "[12] The Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed Davidson's conviction and death sentences in 2016. [47][48][49] Christian was also anally and vaginally raped. Does that make sense to you?" Boyd claims he has no personal knowledge of the slayings of the young couple, but he offered up details of the crime anyway in a videotaped statement to police played in court today. He then used Christian's vehicle to deal drugs and wiped it clean. [47] Evil at Sea: The Disappearance of Amy Bradley. "There is absolutely no proof of a hate crime," said John Gill, special counsel to Knox County District Attorney Randy Nichols. Reportedly, four of them - Davidson; his brother, Cobbins; Cobbinss friend Thomas; and Thomass girlfriend, Coleman - abusedChristian before she died. They are what they are. The medical examiner testified at trial that there was evidence that Christian slowly suffocated to death. Update 8/13/19:Eric Boyd was found guiltyof Channon and Christophers 2007 murder. [100], On December 8, 2009, George Thomas was found guilty on multiple counts. Both victims have also had memorials and scholarships named after them. [74] He later told police that Cobbins and Thomas arrived at his house at around 10:00 pm on Friday or Saturday and informed him that they had carjacked some people who were in the vehicle. Those fingerprints led them to Davidsons residence at 2316 Chipman Street. Unfortunately for Christopher, the neck gunshot didn't work, and he suffered through the sharp pain as they fatally shot him in the head. [23], In June 2012, Judge Blackwood again granted new trials for Davidson, Cobbins, and Thomas, basing his decision on the "13th juror rule". [8] In 2018, Boyd was indicted on state-level charges of kidnapping, robbery, rape, and murder. For more information, please see our CHRISTIAN, CHANNON GAIL - age 21 of Knoxville, passed away Sunday, January 7, 2007. He later tried to distance himself from the house, however, saying Davidson actually met him on the front porch. He had been beaten, raped, and shot. He's testifying about items recovered from the medical examiner's officer after Channon Christian's autopsy, including the rape kit, the camisol she was wearing, and floral fabric found in the garbage bags with her in the trash can where her body was found. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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 . "I asked him if he had a gun on him and he said yeah. 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. Her neck muscles had been bruised and the manner of death was deemed a homicide. Three days later, the body of his 21-year-old girlfriend, Channon Christian was found stuffed inside a trash can in a nearby. The victims families notified authorities the next day about the missing couple. "His eyes were really big, like he knew what she was telling me.". Newsoms killers had stuffed a sock in his mouth and bound his ankles with his belt. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. In February 2008, the trial dates for the subjects indicted in Knox County were moved to 2009. Those who committed this crime were unjust in doing so, and they should pay the penalty. Authorities discovered Newsomfirst - on Sunday, January 7, 2007, hours after his death. The tragic double murder shook the Knoxville area, and investigators were unsure of the motive behind the attack. "As soon as I reached the bathroom door, (Davidson) grabbed me and said, 'What are you doing?'" "I may go to Labor Ready occasionally so I can get a little more buzz money.". This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. He was also sentenced to another 90 years for other crimes, including especially aggravated kidnapping, robbery and rape. Police also recovered an envelope from the vehicle that yielded fingerprint evidence leading them to LeMaricus Davidson of 2316 Chipman Street, an address two blocks from Christian's car. Davidson, he said, denied raping Christian but admitted choking her. Additionally, police found Christian's overnight bag. He saw a 4Runner in front of the house with its porch lights on. Newsom was 23 years old when he was murdered.[30][32][34]. Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom in Knoxville, Tennessee. However, she wasdenied paroleat the hearing. He said yes. Among homicide victims in 2019 where the race was known, 54.7% were black or African-American, 42.3% were white, and 3.1% were of other races. The Knoxville murders didn't get national attention, but did make people question why - and how - this happened, and whether or not Christian and Newsom were victims of a hate crime. He is not charged, however, in either the carjacking or the killings. given a lesser sentence of 35 years in prison, The 1945 Disappearance of Thora Afton Chamberlain, Robert Pickton The Case of the Killer Pig Farmer, Bonnie Woodward: Grandmother missing since 2010, The Tragic Short Life of Florence Sally Horner. According to Cobbins, Davidson took the woman into a bedroom once they arrived at the residence, and Boyd drove away with the man. Investigators recovered fingerprints inside the vehicle that didn't belong to either Christian or Newsom. That's all he'd say.". She returned from Atlanta later that night. KPD Officer Ed Kingsbury testified Boyd was nabbed two days later and eventually admitted to helping Davidson hide by breaking into a vacant house on Reynolds Street. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. However, after a new trial in November 2013, Coleman wasgiven a lesser sentence of 35 years in prison. In the interview with Knoxville Police Department Investigators Patty Tipton and Greg McKnight, Boyd insisted everything he knew about the fatal carjacking came from Davidson. On Saturday, January 6, 2007, Channon and Chris planned to have dinner together and then spend the . We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. ul.searchbrowse {font-family:'Myriad W01 Regular', sans-serif; color: #676767; margin:0; text-transform: capitalize;} The details of the horrific events, along with the plight of the bills will follow. On January 6, 2007, 21-year-old Channon Christian and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Christopher Newsom, were minding their own business. 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. Rallied in violation of channon autopsy report or the comments. Upon searching the premises, police found Christian and determined the attacks against Christian and Newsom occurred in the house. #searchlist h2 a {color:#222; text-decoration:none; } She did not mourn the broken relationship long. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. [34][35] She planned on graduating in December 2007. ", 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. She was also beaten, kicked in her groin, and beaten on the head. Satterfield, Jamie. According to the testimony of the Knox County Acting Medical Examiner, Newsom was sodomized with an object and raped by a minimum of one of the perpetrators. "I told them when I left they were welcome to have whatever food I had," she said. [43][92], On April 16, 2008, Eric Boyd was found guilty in federal court of being an accessory to a fatal carjacking and of failing to report the location of a known fugitive. I had one HELL OF AN ADVENTURE since I've been in the big T.N. They were on their way to a birthday party when two unknown, armed assailants carjacked them for Christian's Toyota 4-Runner in the parking lot of her friends apartment complex. [22] Due to double jeopardy, the defendants faced at maximum the sentences they had already received, and thus only Davidson was eligible for capital punishment. According to Boyd, Davidson, his brother and a friend needed a vehicle because they were being pursued by drug dealers to whom they owed money. [49][50][51][52][53][54], Christian was held prisoner inside Davidson's house, mostly in the north bedroom. He described the Jan. 7, 2007, encounter between the carjacking suspects and slain couple as entirely random. Christopher Newsom was either forced to walk barefoot or partially dragged with his ankles bound to the scene of his death, Knox County's acting medical examiner testified late this afternoon. After killing Newsom, the assailants set his body on fire. 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. 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. Four black males and one black female were arrested and charged in the case. She left, but not before he gave her a bag of clothing and a ring. [61][75] Cobbins gave a statement to investigators claiming that he, Davidson, and Boyd drove to an apartment complex for someone to meet a girl. 7 January, 2022. "Clearly this is evidence of uncharged crimes that is only intended to inflame the jury and to suggest to the jury Mr. Boyd was involved in this carjacking," he argued. Horrifying facts and disturbing details about real cases that shocked. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported, As Christopher lay paralyzed on the ground, the muzzle of a .22-caliber gun was placed against his covered head and fired. Christian was bound in a hog-tied fashion with curtains and strips of bedding. A Knox County jury has found a man guilty in the brutal murders of a couple 12 years ago in Knoxville. I stayed away.". [56] After murdering Newsom, the assailants returned to Davidson's house where they beat and repeatedly raped Christian. On January 6, 2007, Newsom and Christian were abducted at gunpoint in an apartment complex parking lot and taken to what Witt calls a "house of horrors" where they were beaten, tortured, sexually. More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. #searchbrowse-right {width:45%; float:left; margin: 0 2%; background: transparent;} She agreed because she wanted to retrieve make-up and perfume she said she'd left behind. Quote: The young Knoxville couple was carjacked, raped and killed in January 2007. She said she did not know Davidson as well as she knew Boyd. Boyd and Davidson did not put up a fuss, she said. NEWSOM, CHRIS - age 23 of Halls, went to be with the Lord Sunday, January 7, 2007. [25][118] In 2015, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Thomas's conviction. After high school, he attended Pellissippi State Technical Community College and became a carpenter. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. [3][51], Several items were missing from Christian's vehicle, including a teddy bear and photographs Christian kept there and her phone charger and iPod. A single mother, Sutton, 22, testified Friday that she left Davidson the day before Christian and Newsom were kidnapped because he had abused her. Stuffed inside a trash can in a nearby January 6, 2007, encounter between the carjacking suspects and couple! Me and said, 'What are you doing? ' day about the missing.... Was bound in a nearby cookies and similar technologies to provide you with better. Davidson as well as she knew Boyd the tragic double murder shook Knoxville! Robbery, rape, and beaten on the head ] the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Thomas 's.! 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