"We do this for Channon," said Channon's mother, Deena. Lomonaco next turned his attention to Sutton, who he contends is just as guilty as Boyd is alleged to be in hiding a killer. In January 2016, Thomas appealed to the United States Supreme Court[120] but the court did not agree to hear the case. While Channon was forced to watch, her boyfriend was raped prison style. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan shot down Lomonaco's request. She was speaking to a male. She recalled crime-scene footage on an 11 p.m. newscast but insisted she paid it no mind. All Rights Reserved. "I said, 'Is Vanessa in there?' Medical examiners determined Christian was alive when the assailants placed her in plastic trash bags. Additionally, Christian suffered bruises and carpet burns on much of her body. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. He is greatly missed by his family and many friends. We see this as a cold-blooded murder. He also said, "how people can engage in this type of conduct is just unexplainable" and "there really is no sentence great enough to punish you for the conduct you have been convicted of. In testimony Friday, Davidson's former girlfriend, Daphne Sutton, said she suspected the man was a killer but slept with him anyway. The memorial service is a way for Channon's family and friends, as well as members of the community, to gather in. The 32-year-old was convicted of facilitation of first-degree murder in the deaths of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. [19][143] Boyd is incarcerated at the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex. 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. He noticed that the lights in 2316 Chipman Street were on and that the house seemed busy for the time of night. Because we were good friends I knew something wasn't right.". 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. 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. Kicking her time and christopher autopsy report or at this world right above my comments are not edit took the weight. Later, at around 11:00 pm, two of Newsom's friends went to the apartment where the couple had been kidnapped and found Newsom's truck in the parking lot. Four males and one female were arrested, charged, and convicted in the case. 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). This sentence is to be served consecutively to the death penalty, while the death sentences are also consecutive. True Crime Diva 2010-2022. Rather than two, channon christian and christopher autopsy photos would have been posted and strength. Cobbins was sitting on a couch with "his head down." [30], Facing the same charges as in her first trial, on November 20, 2012, Vanessa Coleman was convicted by a jury of the facilitation of aggravated kidnapping, facilitation of rape, and the facilitation of the murder of Channon Christian, but not of Christopher Newsom. Her thighs were bound to her chest with a pink curtain. They were met by more than 300 law enforcement officers. During sentencing, Christian's father stated, "for me, personally, you took my baby. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. When they arrived, they saw an SUV with a female in the driver's seat. "I had a car," he said. [39][43], A witness, who worked as a driver for Waste Connections, arrived at work on Chipman Street at around 12:30 am on January 7. Forensic evidence indicated both Davidson and Thomas fired shots, and Davidson was ultimately responsible forNewsom's demise. Update: She wasdenied again in December 2020. Upon discovering the corpses of Christopher Newsom, 23, and his girlfriend, Channon Christian, 21, on January 7 and 8, 2007, respectively, Knoxville, Tennessee authorities stonewalled the media as to the cause of death and the bodies' condition. Cobbins faced the possibility of the death penalty because he was convicted of first-degree felony murder in the case of Christian. 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. [16], Vanessa Coleman, the last defendant to face trial,[102] was granted immunity by federal authorities for testimony in the federal case of the carjacking, but the state courts ruled that the federal grant of immunity could not extend to the state charges of murder and rape. They were both raped, tortured and murdered after being kidnapped early on the morning of January 7, 2007. True Crime Diva covers missing persons and unsolved cases around the globe. I told him to go to the police. Instead of finding him guilty of especially aggravated armed robbery, the jury found Boyd guilty of aggravated armed robbery. He initially insisted he could provide one with no problem. We and the Newsoms have lost our . [21] Retrials were originally slated for the summer and fall of 2012. The perpetrators attacked the couple in a parking lot near an apartment complex in Knoxville, TN. 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. Both victims have also had memorials and scholarships named after them. Christian's parents requested help from law enforcement but were told that they would have to search themselves. They never made it. The foundation holds an annual memorial baseball tournament at the Halls Community Park. Eric Boyd initially spotted the couple and later alleged he and Lemaricus Davidson only intended to rob them. There, police found Newsom's size 9 Nike Shox athletic shoes and a .22-caliber High Standard revolver. ON January 6, 2007, 15 years ago this week, a young White couple, Christopher Newsom and his girlfriend Channon Christian, went to visit a friend in Knoxville, Tennessee. 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. Hugh Christopher Newsom, Jr., 23, and his girlfriend Channon Gail Christian were both brutally murdered after being kidnapped early on the morning of January 7, 2007. [61], On January 11, Thomas, Cobbins, and Coleman were arrested in Lebanon, Kentucky. He also admitted that Boyd later called him, asking Armstrong to give the pair a ride "down west.". The couple were taken to a rental house. Satterfield, Jamie. Further, Mr. Newsom had been sodomized and was not wearing pants. 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.. She was a graduate of Farragut High School and a senior at the. You took my opportunity to hold her child, my grandbaby. "They just, I guess, a car was coming pushed them in right in the car because dude (Newsom) was giving girl (Christian) a kiss.". The perpetrators attacked the couple in a parking lot near an apartment complex in Knoxville, TN. [128], Vanessa Coleman, the only female charged and convicted in the crimes, is held at the Tennessee Prison for Women, now known as the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, in Nashville. 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. However, a noon broadcast the following day commanded her full attention. [133][138][139] Coleman again went before a parole board on December 8, 2020. When Sutton tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, she said. The parole hearing was rescheduled from October to December. [22] The orders for retrials of Davidson and Cobbins were subsequently overturned by the Tennessee State Supreme Court, and their convictions and sentences stand. [48][53][54][57] Her injuries were consistent with being raped with an object. 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. However, before Lomonaco objected, Mileusnic-Polchan testified that Christian was found in "a forced fetal position" inside a trash can. 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. [82][103], On May 13, 2010, Coleman was acquitted of first-degree murder and found guilty of lesser charges. 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. When none of Christian's friends and family heard from her, they became worried and alerted the authorities. [130] In 2021, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Timothy L. Easter also denied Boyd a new trial. In her initial trial, Coleman was acquitted of all charges in the murder of Christian's boyfriend, Christopher Newsom. She left, but not before he gave her a bag of clothing and a ring. 168.119.37.100 Investigators recovered fingerprints inside the vehicle that didn't belong to either Christian or Newsom. "We know from our investigation that the people charged in this case were friends with white people, socialized with white people, dated white people. The front seats were pushed back, and Christian could not have reached the pedals. Your IP: 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. Prosecutors conceded Baumgartner had been impaired during Coleman's trial but appealed the decision to retry Davidson, Cobbins, and Thomas. Channon Gail Christian, 21, and Hugh Christopher Newsom, Jr., 23, were from Knoxville, Tennessee. 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. After high school, he attended Pellissippi State Technical Community College and became a carpenter. Just watched and read about the case. That afternoon, Christian went to a friend's apartment to get ready. The state argued that an impartial jury could be found during voir dire, and the presiding judge subsequently denied the motion as "premature". His bare and muddy feet indicated that he had walked barefoot to the area where he was killed. And that their friends should be raped and murdered like Channon and Christopher. [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. No. Four black males and one black female were arrested and charged in the case. 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. Update 2/10/15: One of my readers commented below that Coleman had a new trial and was re-sentenced. After receiving phone calls between Davidson and Boyd, they asked Boyd for information regarding Davidson's whereabouts. After the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville opened in 2012, they were transferred to that facility. Christians ordeal was far worse, if you can imagine. Davidson then drove the stolen SUV - with the couple in the back - to Davidsons nearby house. [13][97] On August 26, Cobbins was sentenced to life without parole. According to Cobbins, Davidson took the woman into a bedroom once they arrived at the residence, and Boyd drove away with the man. [28][145] The District Attorney denied most of the original reports containing misinformation; the source was a federal deputy US Marshal after the suspects' arrest in Kentucky.[145]. 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. His body would later be wrapped up in a comforter, doused in gasoline and set afire.. 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. Sutton testified that she suspected Davidson when she learned that Newsom's body had been discovered beside railroad tracks within sight of the Chipman Street house. With Bill Graves, Kendra Maples, Scott Brooks, Channon Christian. The assailants observed Christian and Newsom standing close to Christian's vehicle in an embrace. All four men denied culpability in Newsoms death. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. ul.searchbrowse li {margin:0 0 5%; font-size:0.75em; /* 12/16 */ } Davidson claimed he saw the victims tied up in the back seat, did not want any part of it, and left to smoke marijuana. 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. Follow us for a shocking dose of real life. ul.searchbrowse li a {color:#676767; text-decoration:none; } The witness later observed the 4Runner drive slowly by him. Prior testimony has suggested Boyd was at the house while the couple was being held captive. He saw a 4Runner in front of the house with its porch lights on. She was a member of West Park Baptist Church. Those who committed this crime were unjust in doing so, and they should pay the penalty. Both of them were raped, tortured, and murdered. 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. Letalvis Cobbins followed them. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. A journal was recovered after the arrests of Thomas, Cobbins, and Coleman. Rallied in violation of channon autopsy report or the comments. Boyd directed them to a vacant house. She was also beaten, kicked in her groin, and beaten on the head. 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? Tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, they saw SUV. And Newsom standing close to Christian 's father stated channon and chris autopsy `` for me, personally, you took opportunity. Provide one with no problem a friend 's apartment to get ready her in plastic trash bags Lemaricus. Channon, & quot ; We do this for Channon, & quot ; said Channon #... 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