Refresh the page, check. [19][143] Boyd is incarcerated at the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex. Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom in Knoxville, Tennessee. Police seized a computer on which Thomas and Cobbins had been viewing news coverage of the murders. 23. #searchbrowse-left {width:45%; float:left; margin: 0 2%; background: transparent;} See more ideas about christian, christopher, hate crime. He faces death if convicted. ul.searchbrowse {font-family:'Myriad W01 Regular', sans-serif; color: #676767; margin:0; text-transform: capitalize;} Rev. In testimony this afternoon, Danielle Lightfoot said that Boyd and Davidson showed up on her Ridgebrook Apartments doorstep late on Jan. 9, a Tuesday. "She said, 'Oh, my God, Daphne, they found a body in your house.' Judge Thomas T. Woodall wrote in his opinion: "The facts at trial showed that (Coleman) was in the (Chipman Street) house for nearly two days where (Christian) was confined and brutally raped before she was tied up, wrapped in five plastic trash bags and stuffed into a garbage can, where she died from asphyxiationIn journal entries (written after the slayings, Coleman) described 'one hell of an adventure in the big T.N.' When Sutton tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, she said. In exchange for his testimony, Thomas was allowed to have his first-degree murder convictions reduced to second-degree murder, his aggravated rape convictions reduced to aggravated assault, and his sentence reduced from life in prison with the possibility of parole to 50 years (two 25-year terms with the opportunity to reduce his sentence by up to 15 percent based on good behavior during incarceration). So not only is there no evidence of any racial animus, there's evidence to the contrary. [3][49][55] Prosecutors believe that Coleman held Christian captive while the male offenders were murdering Newsom. They were last seen at the Washington Ridge Apartments. They never made it. Davidson and Boyd "basically carjacked them" and ordered Cobbins to drive back to Chipman Street. [47] Boyd later returned without the male victim. 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. Friends and family of the murderers made websites claiming that Channon and Christopher actively wanted to be brutally raped and murdered. "I did not know for sure he killed somebody," Sutton testified. Her ankles were bound with strips of bedding. [1][2][3] Four males and one female were arrested, charged, and convicted in the case. 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. Cobbins is the first of four defendants to be tried. CHRISTIAN, CHANNON GAIL - age 21 of Knoxville, passed away Sunday, January 7, 2007. On August 14, 2019, Boyd, who has long been suspected as the man responsible for the assault against Newsom,was convicted of first-degree murderincluding related crimes of kidnapping and assault. Mileusnic-Polchan, began testifying about the injuries sustained by Channon Christian, but U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan delayed that testimony until tomorrow after defense attorney Phil Lomonaco tried to block the testimony entirely, citing its graphic nature. Others, including journalists, disagreed with this assertion. However, a noon broadcast the following day commanded her full attention. #searchlist h2 {font-family:'Myriad W01 SmBd', sans-serif; color: #616161; font-size: 0.81255em; /* 13/16 */ line-height: 1.1em; text-transform: uppercase;} Several of the victims' belongings had Davidson's prints. What happened to nine-year-old Serenity Dennard? [22] The orders for retrials of Davidson and Cobbins were subsequently overturned by the Tennessee State Supreme Court, and their convictions and sentences stand. Letalvis Cobbins followed them. Four males and one female were arrested, charged, and convicted in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Stone showed Armstrong phone records, detailing more than two dozen calls to Armstrong from Boyd's cellular phone from Jan. 9 until the arrest of Boyd and Davidson on Jan. 11. They are what they are. Medical examiners determined Christian was alive when the assailants placed her in plastic trash bags. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Although Christian sustained multiple blows to the head and other trauma, she ultimately suffocated after being placed in the plastic bags. At around 8:00 pm, Christian's friend went to the party, and Christian stayed behind and waited for Newsom to pick her up. On January 6, 2007, couple Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were out in East Knoxville. The parole hearing was rescheduled from October to December. More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. 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. Shanann's autopsyconcluded that her cause of death was asphyxiation due to manual strangulation. On May 17, 2013, the retrial of George Thomas (with a jury empaneled in Nashville) ended in a verdict of guilty on all 38 counts. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. [49][50][51][52][53][54], Christian was held prisoner inside Davidson's house, mostly in the north bedroom. 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. The Death of Theresa Parker: husband convicted but is he guilty of murder? The Greatest Rock Stars Who Died Before 30. Medical examiners testifiedto this fact at Boyd's first trial in 2008. "We've been through the worst. "We do this for Channon," said Channon's mother, Deena. [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. The thugs responsible for this crime are: The murders did not receive as much media attention as they should have, partly because the rape story at Duke University took precedence.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'truecrimediva_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-truecrimediva_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); I REFUSE to put pictures of the killers in this post. [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. [13][97] On August 26, Cobbins was sentenced to life without parole. It sounded like water was on, and something fell into the sink.". Over eight months, each was tried independently on 46 charges including the kidnap, rape, and murder of Channon and Chris. "They had sex with her, but he choked and killed her. [7][33][34] A foundation has also been established in Newsom's name. [9], Four of the five defendants (Eric Boyd, Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, and George Thomas) had multiple prior felony convictions. Attorneys David Jennings and Stone allege Boyd knew about the fatal carjacking when he allegedly took steps to help Davidson avoid arrest. Both were forced into the backseat of Christian's SUV at gunpoint, had their hands tied behind their backs, and were taken to Davidson's house at 2316 Chipman Street. Prosecutors conceded Baumgartner had been impaired during Coleman's trial but appealed the decision to retry Davidson, Cobbins, and Thomas. The thugs tied her up inside the Chipman Street house of Lemaricus Davidson. [82][103], On May 13, 2010, Coleman was acquitted of first-degree murder and found guilty of lesser charges. 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. I had one HELL OF AN ADVENTURE since I've been in the big T.N. "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. 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. Baumgartner ruled that Thomas' phone calls from the jailhouse to his acquaintances were admissible as evidence. "(Boyd) was not his normal self," she testified. "There is absolutely no proof of a hate crime," said John Gill, special counsel to Knox County District Attorney Randy Nichols. We and the Newsoms have lost our . Get True Crime Diva's blog posts delivered to your inbox! [11][12] Cobbins and Thomas were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Forensic evidence indicated both Davidson and Thomas fired shots, and Davidson was ultimately responsible forNewsom's demise. 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. Those who committed this crime were unjust in doing so, and they should pay the penalty. 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. Davidson asked if he and Boyd could stay the night at her apartment. [24][25], Controversy arose due to differing interpretations regarding the media's coverage of the murders. "[147] Christian's father, addressing those whom he believes used his daughter's death to further their agenda, stated: "[the crime] ain't about you. 08-6402 . {{bottomLinkPreText}} {{bottomLinkText}} This page is based on a Wikipedia article written by contributors (read/edit). 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. They had only been dating for a few months, but they were . They forced Christian and Newsom into the vehicle at gunpoint and bound them. 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. #searchlist h2 a:hover {color:#222; border-bottom: 1px dotted #222;} They were kidnapped the evening of January 6, 2007 when Christian's vehi Show more Show more. Boyd's account of his visit to the house on Sunday also proved replete with contradictions. [30], Hugh Christopher "Chris" Newsom Jr. (born September 21, 1983, in Knoxville) was a former baseball player for the Halls High School Red Devils, graduating in 2002. [13][14][15][16] Vanessa Coleman was convicted of facilitating the crimes and sentenced to 53 years. He is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution, Yazoo City, a low-security federal prison in Yazoo County, Mississippi. Friends and family. They tied his hands behind his back and wrapped his face in a bandana. She will be up for parole again in 2020. Performance & security by Cloudflare. "[147], Some commentators disagreed, claiming that such a crime represented motives of racial hatred. Blackwood sentenced Coleman to 35 years in prison on February 1, 2013, minus credit for time already served. He was also convicted on charges of carjacking, robbery, and kidnapping. The bags had Davidson's prints. Assistant U.S. "Lemaricus Davidson decided to run a story off me about something his brother did that he was in a jam. [25][118] In 2015, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Thomas's conviction. She described the fatal wound as reminiscent of an execution. The next day, her mother phoned with news that Christian's body had been found inside a trash can in the Chipman Street house. Investigators recovered fingerprints inside the vehicle that didn't belong to either Christian or Newsom. By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Davidson also used Newsom's cellphone and was seen wearing Newsom's shoes. He said he was scared. He was re-sentenced to life in prison by the jury, but with the possibility of parole after 51 years. Five suspects in total - Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Eric Boyd, and Vanessa Coleman - then assaultedand killed Christian and Newsom. 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. These convictions were on lesser charges than her initial convictions. "He just acted like he didn't know what was going on. "His eyes were really big, like he knew what she was telling me.". The witness later observed the 4Runner drive slowly by him. There was a blood stain on her shirt and a camisole underneath the shirt. The couple had only been dating a few months when they decided to go out on a date the night of January 6, 2007. Thanks to lobbying from the families of the victims, two new laws were introduced in 2014 as a result of the case: Murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 09:34, Pellissippi State Technical Community College, Federal Correctional Institution, Yazoo City, Federal Correctional Institution in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Federal Correctional Institution, Beckley, "Grand jury presentment in Christian/Newsom case", "5 things to know about the Christian-Newsom torture slayings", "Murders of Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian", "Transcript: Davidson says he told Christian he would 'make sure she got out', "10 years later: Remembering Christian-Newsom", "Fifth person charged in gruesome 2007 murders of young Knoxville couple", "Fourth suspect arrested in corpse-burning case", "4 death sentences for LeMaricus Davidson in Christian-Newsom murders", "Lemaricus Davidson gets 80 more years in torture-slaying case", "Cobbins convicted of first-degree murder", "Torture-slayings trial, Day 9: Victims' families: Jury 'let us down' with Letalvis Cobbins verdict", "The verdicts in the George Thomas trial", "George Thomas gets life without parole for Christian-Newsom murders", "Coleman gets 53 years; judge rejects innocent defense", "Newsoms thank George Thomas for testifying against Eric Boyd as judge approves reduced sentence", "LIST: Here's what Eric Boyd was found guilty of in deaths of Channon Christian & Chris Newsom", "Special judge grants new trials for torture-slaying defendants, cites Baumgartner's conduct", New trial dates set for Channon Christian/Chris Newsom defendants in Knoxville, "Tennessee Supreme Court overturns new trial rulings in Christian-Newsom murders", "Judge sentences Vanessa Coleman to 35 years", "Judge's order ensures George Thomas will die in prison for 2007 torture-slayings", "Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian Brutally Murdered As the Nation Looks on", "Critics say news media ignoring Knoxville couple slaying", "Media criticized in slayings with racial overtone", "Time no cure for pain in torture slayings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom", "From rage to restoration, murder victim's father finds faith", "Christian, Newsom memorialized with scholarships", "The Last Suspect: 'I've Always Had a Mother's Instinct That He Was The One Who Murdered My Son', "Judge warns victim's family about comments to defense attorneys", "Timeline of the Channon Christian-Christopher Newsom murders", "TENN. MAN FACING FOUND GUILTY OF 36 CHARGES IN HORRIFIC 2007 KIDNAPPING, RAPE AND MURDER OF YOUNG COUPLE", "In torture slaying trial, each side interprets evidence differently", "Consent argued in torture-slaying trial", "Graphic details emerge in Christian-Newsom killings", "Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case: Attending Vanessa Coleman's Retrial", "Horror of Christian/Newsom killings in focus: What happened on Chipman Street", "Guilty again: New trial, similar outcome for Coleman in slaying", "Young Couple, Gruesome Murder, Was it A Hate Crime? There was a blood stain on her shirt and a camisole underneath the shirt were lesser... Not only is there no evidence of any racial animus, there 's evidence to the head and other,. Convicted and sentenced to life without parole stain on her shirt and a camisole the. Kidnap, rape, and Thomas 's shoes news coverage of the murders like water was on, and were! Years in prison on February 1, 2013, minus credit for time already served Channon & # ;. 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