He was later driven to nearby railroad tracks where he was shot and set afire. Let's talk about adventures! He said yes. [3][7], Channon Gail Christian (born April 29, 1985, in Nacogdoches, Texas) moved from Louisiana to Tennessee with her family in 1997. Eventually themen tookNewsom outside and forced him back into the SUV. During sentencing, Christian's father stated, "for me, personally, you took my baby. He was also sentenced to another 90 years for other crimes, including especially aggravated kidnapping, robbery and rape. "He said he didn't.". He said he was scared. The eRumor tells of the horrific kidnapping, torture, and murder of Christopher Newsom and his girlfriend Channon Christian from Knoxville, Tennessee. "[148], On May 27, 2007, less than 30 white supremacists, led by Alex Linder rallied in downtown Knoxville to protest against the murders. [7][34][154], Channon Christian's father, Gary Christian, speaks at churches proclaiming how, in Spring 2017, he asked God to restore him from his pervasive anger. The perpetrators attacked the couple in a parking lot near an apartment complex in Knoxville, TN. An entry from January 9 read: Last night was one of a kind. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Prosecutors conceded Baumgartner had been impaired during Coleman's trial but appealed the decision to retry Davidson, Cobbins, and Thomas. Christopher Newsomwasa former baseball standout. [37] They then decided to attack the couple. Newsom is believed to have been raped inside Davidson's house. 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. [50][54] A comforter was wrapped around Newsom's body, and a sweatshirt was wrapped around his head. There, they reportedly shot himmultiple times. He then used Christian's vehicle to deal drugs and wiped it clean. [11][99] In June 2010, Davidson was sentenced to 80 years for other charges related to the murders. The horrifying rape, torture murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, The 1977 disappearance of Rachel Hanna Ziselman, The mystifying disappearance of 14-year-old Stacy Ann Arras. True Crime Diva covers missing persons and unsolved cases around the globe. [5][141] Davidson was sentenced to death on October 30, 2009,[142] and is incarcerated at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Channon Gail Christian, 21, and Hugh Christopher Newsom, Jr., 23, were from Knoxville, Tennessee. 20, Photos: ET Farmers Markets celebrate 40 years, Rooms with exclusive views: Three Sisters project will be closely aligned with Blackberry Farm, From slave to landlord: Mystery of Hade Black solved. Based on crime-scene photos, he would not have been able to see the kitchen from the front porch doorway. The pair were abducted from the Washington Ridge apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. Police seized a computer on which Thomas and Cobbins had been viewing news coverage of the murders. She will be up for parole again in 2020. On Saturday, January 6, 2007, Channon and Chris planned to have dinner together and then spend the . 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. True Crime Diva 2010-2022. "The United States did not create the facts in this case. It's not a black-and-white issue. Evil at Sea: The Disappearance of Amy Bradley. [40], After Christian and Newsom did not show up at the party, the couple's friends began calling and texting them and received no response. Newsom survived this shooting initially, but later was shot again in the head. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Boyd was transported from a Federal Correctional Institution in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and booked into the Knox County Jail, where he was held on a $1 million bond. [82][103], On May 13, 2010, Coleman was acquitted of first-degree murder and found guilty of lesser charges. [34][35] She planned on graduating in December 2007. A woman accused him of trading legal favors for sex during breaks in court sessions. August 2009, Rome was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Channon & facilitation of murder in connection to the death of Chris; he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Coleman was up for parole because she had served eight years in prison in December 2014. It was days before police found Christians body. Because we were good friends I knew something wasn't right.". I stayed away.". Cookie Notice When Sutton tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, she said. 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. [104] On July 30, 2010, she was sentenced to 53 years in prison. Christian's parents requested help from law enforcement but were told that they would have to search themselves. [47][48][49] Christian was also anally and vaginally raped. Thomas was granted the motion and was scheduled to go on trial on August 11, 2008. [23] The Coleman and Thomas retrials resulted in convictions, but with a reduced sentence for Coleman and the same sentence for Thomas. The thugs tied her up inside the Chipman Street house of Lemaricus Davidson. She agreed. The following night, she had another date, this one ending in sex, she testified. He cited a 2001 report by the Berkeley Media Studies Group, which found that "Blacks and Latinos are underrepresented in news media as victims of crime and significantly overrepresented as perpetrators. He also told Russo it's possible Hayhurst may have been unconscious, because the autopsy revealed blunt-force trauma to the head. Channon Christian and Chris Newsom were both brutally murdered back in 2007. [94] He was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years in federal prison. In August 2014, the families of the victims were notified that with good behavior, Coleman's sentence was being reduced by 16 days per month of incarceration, making her eligible for parole consideration in October 2014. We stayed w/a crackhead that is cool as hell. "We have no evidence to support the notion that this was a race-based crime. "Slim's brother and then Slim's pictures came up (on the screen) that they were wanted for questioning, so I asked what the hell was going on," she said. He noticed that the lights in 2316 Chipman Street were on and that the house seemed busy for the time of night. This evidence supports the trial court's finding that (Coleman) is a dangerous offender."[117]. There was a blood stain on her shirt and a camisole underneath the shirt. The three men - with the stolen SUV - returned to Davidsons home on Chipman Street, where George Thomas and his girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman, were also staying. [9], Four of the five defendants (Eric Boyd, Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, and George Thomas) had multiple prior felony convictions. "[28][146] Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses . [78], A forensic document examiner verified that the handwriting in the entry matched Coleman's handwriting. So horrific and evil. "She said, 'Oh, my God, Daphne, they found a body in your house.' Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were raped, tortured and killed on January 6, 2007 (Image: CBS) Inside Newsom was repeatedly sodomized with an object and then blindfolded, gagged, arms and feet bound and his head covered. They never made it. Co-defendant George Thomas testified as a witness in the Boyd trial. They were kidnapped on the evening of January 6, 2007, when Christian's vehicle was carjacked. Armstrong insisted he could not remember what they talked about if anything. She did not mourn the broken relationship long. The seven board members voted unanimously to deny Coleman parole and ensure that she would not be eligible to go before a parole board again for ten years. On December 8,2009, George Thomas was sentenced to life . Neither Lightfoot nor Armstrong voluntarily reported any of their contacts with Boyd and Davidson to police. 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. The assailants brought him from the vehicle and into the house while he was bound. Her thighs were bound to her chest with a pink curtain. More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. I had one HELL OF AN ADVENTURE since I've been in the big T.N. You took my opportunity to say yes to a young man one day. Cobbins faced the possibility of the death penalty because he was convicted of first-degree felony murder in the case of Christian. A memorial scholarship is given annually in his name to a graduating Halls High School baseball player. [21], Blackwood set retrials for between June and November 2012, pending appeals, and set bail at $1 million for Coleman, the only defendant whose sentence had the possibility of parole. With Bill Graves, Kendra Maples, Scott Brooks, Channon Christian. Manage Settings "Starting a petition to indict Eric Boyd for his part in those horrible murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, I thought it was the right thing to do," said Cowans. [22] The orders for retrials of Davidson and Cobbins were subsequently overturned by the Tennessee State Supreme Court, and their convictions and sentences stand. He wore only a shirt and underwear. During sentencing, Blackwood commented that "the psychological torture of this unfortunate victim was immense." By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. #searchlist h2 a:hover {color:#222; border-bottom: 1px dotted #222;} "It may have started out as a carjacking, but what it developed into was blacks hating whites. "His eyes were really big, like he knew what she was telling me.". Davidson's prints were also found on a box of garbage bags. Channon suffered a similar fate. [15][101] The jury returned a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the four capital convictions. "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. He said Boyd kept quiet during the 20- to 30-minute conversation. The witness later observed the 4Runner drive slowly by him. At the time of her death, Shanann had been 15 weeks pregnant (via MEAWW). [151][152] A memorial to Newsom and Christian was created at the location where the house once stood. Most news reports came from local media and online news sites. We Asked, You Answered: What Would You Pick For Your Last Meal On Death Row? Tortured And Suffocated To Death. [48][53][54][57] Her injuries were consistent with being raped with an object. Her face was tightly covered with a small trash bag, and her body was stashed in five large trash bags. He had been beaten, raped, and shot. The Horrific Torture & Murders of Channon Christian & Christopher Newsom | by Criminal Matters | Jan, 2023 | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Reportedly, the men blindfolded and gagged Newsom. He had been shot three times; the killers delivered the final shot execution-style. 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. Both of them were raped, tortured, and murdered. Sutton admitted she never told police and repeatedly lied to them in an effort to impede their manhunt for Davidson. According to the FBI, African-Americans accounted for 55.9% of all homicide offenders in 2019, with whites 41.1%, and "Other" 3.0% in cases where the race was known. [51][53][54], On January 7, Christian failed to answer calls from her mother and friend. [7][33][34] A foundation has also been established in Newsom's name. 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. doctor removing sheet - autopsy stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. 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. #boydtrial" Cobbins denied having any sexual intercourse with the female victim. At around 8:00 pm, Christian's friend went to the party, and Christian stayed behind and waited for Newsom to pick her up. After the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville opened in 2012, they were transferred to that facility. Boyd's defense attorney, Phil Lomonaco, demanded a mistrial, arguing that the prosecutors had unfairly prejudiced jurors by trying to implicate Boyd in the fatal carjacking even though he is not charged with it. A. [5] Thomas is incarcerated at the Northeast Correctional Complex. I told him to go to the police. October 28, 2009, Davidson was indicted on 16 counts of felony murder & sentenced to death. KNOXVILLE - The gates of Tennessee's only death row prison opened wide for Lemaricus Davidson tonight, hours after a Knox County jury sentenced him to die for his role as the ringleader in the January 2007 carjacking, torture and killings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. [3][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46], Both Christian and Newsom were raped. [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. [I]t's a crazy world these days! He is greatly missed by his family and many friends. [7][108][109][110] On December 1, 2011, Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood granted new trials to all four state defendants after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation showed Baumgartner was likely impaired while presiding over their trials. Christian, who was naked except for her camisole and sweater, was tied in a fetal position, placed inside a residential waste disposal unit, and covered with sheets. [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. He denied being involved in the carjacking or being at the Chipman Street house following it. Davidson was then interrogated about the murders. On the night of January 6, 2007, two assailants carjacked Channon Christian, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23. [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. On January 7, 2007, the young white coupleChannon was 21, her boyfriend Chris was 23was abducted, beaten, raped, tortured, and murdered. Coleman is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence set to end in 2036, officials said. [18][93] Boyd was the first to go to trial, the only suspect not charged with murder. After murdering Christopher, the five criminals returned to torture Channon. 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. [ 93 ] Boyd was the first to go to trial, the five returned. 23, were from Knoxville, TN Christian, 21, and her body was stashed five! 35-Year prison sentence set to end in 2036, officials said videos and audio are available their. In 2007 the first to go on trial on August 11, 2008, the five criminals returned torture... The globe faced the possibility of the horrific kidnapping, robbery and rape June... 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