The perpetrators attacked the couple in a parking lot near an apartment complex in Knoxville, TN. [9], Four of the five defendants (Eric Boyd, Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, and George Thomas) had multiple prior felony convictions. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. After a week of testimony, Eric Boyd was sentenced Tuesday to life with the possibility of . Cobbins is the first of four defendants to be tried. #searchlist h2 {font-family:'Myriad W01 SmBd', sans-serif; color: #616161; font-size: 0.81255em; /* 13/16 */ line-height: 1.1em; text-transform: uppercase;} "I had decided they were gonna leave because I was scared the police would come to my house," she testified. See more ideas about christian, christopher, hate crime. [85] Judge Richard Baumgartner allowed Thomas and Cobbins to be tried by juries from Davidson County (which includes Nashville). Lomonaco next turned his attention to Sutton, who he contends is just as guilty as Boyd is alleged to be in hiding a killer. CHRIS NEWSOM OBITUARY. On not really around my best lifetime. 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. Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan testified that Newsom, 23, was shot and would have been dead when his body was set on fire. [14], On October 28, 2009, Lemaricus Davidson was found guilty. The details of the horrific events, along with the plight of the bills will follow. Reportedly, four of them - Davidson; his brother, Cobbins; Cobbinss friend Thomas; and Thomass girlfriend, Coleman - abusedChristian before she died. He saw a 4Runner in front of the house with its porch lights on. [130] In 2021, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Timothy L. Easter also denied Boyd a new trial. Horror of Christian/Newsom killings in focus: What happened on Chipman Street.Knoxville News-Sentinel, August 24, 2017.https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2017/08/24/archives-horror-christian-newsom-killings-focus-what-happened-chipman-street/597805001/. For more information, please see our Coleman is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence set to end in 2036, officials said. [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. Boyd later returned without the male victim. He described the Jan. 7, 2007, encounter between the carjacking suspects and slain couple as entirely random. In the wake of the murders, a Knox County Grand Jury handed down multiple indictments in the case. Assistant U.S. If you want to know what they look like, Google them. Boyd said Davidson pinned the killings on Thomas. [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. The pair were abducted from the Washington Ridge apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. "He just acted like he didn't know what was going on. Four males and one female were arrested, charged, and convicted in the case. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . The bags had Davidson's prints. They reported she never showed up at her friend's party on the night of January 6, 2007, and it wasn't like her to not answer her phone. In 2014, new laws named after the victims were introduced in Tennessee. [37] They then decided to attack the couple. The Greatest Rock Stars Who Died Before 30. "We know from our investigation that the people charged in this case were friends with white people, socialized with white people, dated white people. Neither Lightfoot nor Armstrong voluntarily reported any of their contacts with Boyd and Davidson to police. Privacy Policy. "We've been through the worst. But Channon's hell was just beginning. The next day, her mother phoned with news that Christian's body had been found inside a trash can in the Chipman Street house. Cobbins was sitting on a couch with "his head down." Newsom survived this shooting initially, but later was shot again in the head. Police also seized a purse that contained several of Christian's belongings, including her cosmetic bag and change purse. He was also sentenced to another 90 years for other crimes, including especially aggravated kidnapping, robbery and rape. doctor removing sheet - autopsy stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. We and the Newsoms have lost our . Four black males and one black female were arrested and charged in the case. autopsy later revealed that Christopher Newsom had been shot three times, once on the right side of the head, once on the right side of the neck, and once in the back. Davidson, he said, denied raping Christian but admitted choking her. He said Boyd kept quiet during the 20- to 30-minute conversation. [23] The Coleman and Thomas retrials resulted in convictions, but with a reduced sentence for Coleman and the same sentence for Thomas. [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]. [148] Newsom's mother also disagreed with the assertion that the offenders were not motivated by racism. By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Just watched and read about the case. Cobbins faced the possibility of the death penalty because he was convicted of first-degree felony murder in the case of Christian. Several of the victims' belongings had Davidson's prints. Who Murdered Four-Year-Old Jessica Phelps in 1997? 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. Christian suffered two blows to the head and was dragged into the carpeted living room. The thugs tied her up inside the Chipman Street house of Lemaricus Davidson. [61], On January 11, Thomas, Cobbins, and Coleman were arrested in Lebanon, Kentucky. They were met by more than 300 law enforcement officers. [77], Coleman's lawyers argued that she should receive a 20-year sentence, while prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence of nearly 50 years. "[53] Prosecutors believe that Christian was tied to a chair and orally raped by Davidson and Cobbins. A woman accused him of trading legal favors for sex during breaks in court sessions. Davidson asked if he and Boyd could stay the night at her apartment. "They just, I guess, a car was coming pushed them in right in the car because dude (Newsom) was giving girl (Christian) a kiss.". On June 4, 2013, Judge Kurtz sentenced Thomas to two life sentences (consecutive) for the murders and 25 years (multiple concurrent) for the rapes. Photographs of the crimes caused some people in court to pass out. .searchbrowse-wrap {width:100%; margin: 0 0 10%; padding: 0 0 5% 0; border-bottom: 1px #e5e5e5 solid;} Her testimony capped the end of the state's weeklong case against suspect Letalvis Cobbins. He had been shot three times; the killers delivered the final shot execution-style. She will be up for parole again in 2020. Davidson met her at the door and followed her inside. Your IP: 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. 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. He had been beaten, raped, and shot. Christian's and Newsom's mothers and Christian's father gave statements to the board opposing parole. 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. 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. She described the fatal wound as reminiscent of an execution. He said yes. [56] While the retrial was conducted in Knoxville, the jury for the retrial was selected from Jackson, Tennessee, more than 300 miles west of Knoxville. The tragic double murder shook the Knoxville area, and investigators were unsure of the motive behind the attack. He was also convicted on charges of carjacking, robbery, and kidnapping. Based on crime-scene photos, he would not have been able to see the kitchen from the front porch doorway. About twice as many counter-protesters as protestors attended, including the "Coup Cluts Clowns", an activist group which mocks the Ku Klux Klan. Letalvis Cobbins followed them. That changed how I acted.". After killing Newsom, the assailants set his body on fire. However, she wasdenied paroleat the hearing. Sutton testified. The witness later observed the 4Runner drive slowly by him. [13][14][15][16] Vanessa Coleman was convicted of facilitating the crimes and sentenced to 53 years. It snowed a lil bit but it's already melted. A. "Lemaricus Davidson decided to run a story off me about something his brother did that he was in a jam. 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. The Board of Parole has also denied granting Coleman parole in the past. He is greatly missed by his family and many friends. Newsom was shot in his neck and the back. Update 2/10/15: One of my readers commented below that Coleman had a new trial and was re-sentenced. Davidson claimed he saw the victims tied up in the back seat, did not want any part of it, and left to smoke marijuana. What happened to nine-year-old Serenity Dennard? More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel. Chris and Channon were kidnapped and driven to 2316 Chipman Street where they were forced into the home at gunpoint. "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. Then, the men hogtied her with strips of fabric from a bedding set. bodily injury and death in violation of 18 U.S.C. During the autopsy of Channon Christian, the medical examiner found that Ms. Eric Boyd initially spotted the couple and later alleged he and Lemaricus Davidson only intended to rob them. The company's intent was to replace the house with a memorial dedicated to Newsom and Christian. Conservative political commentator Michelle Malkin repeated this opinion on her blog and on Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor program. Follow us for a shocking dose of real life. He denied a change of venue but allowed for jurors to be brought in from outside Knox County. *In March of 2014, the actual Tn status legislature flushed several expenses through Channon Christian's and even Joe Newsom's leaders. The Newsoms hope . More than two years later, the first of four people who could face a death sentence in the carjacking, rape and murder of her 23-year-old son and his 21-year-old girlfriend, Channon Christian . She went to stay with a co-worker and her girlfriend. [10] After a jury trial, Davidson was convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection. During sentencing, Christian's father stated, "for me, personally, you took my baby. [26][27] Erroneous early reporting made claims of dismemberment and mutilation of Christian's body. On January 6, 2007, couple Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were out in East Knoxville. [10][51] Though there was semen inside of Newsom's body, DNA in the semen had been destroyed by the fire. The Murders. [3][49][55] Prosecutors believe that Coleman held Christian captive while the male offenders were murdering Newsom. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. [73] On January 11, Davidson was arrested in the vacant house. 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. [26][27][28][29] Efforts have been made to remember and honor Christian and Newsom. Click to reveal The BEST of the worst true crime and macabre stories guaranteed to haunt your nightmares. [104] On July 30, 2010, she was sentenced to 53 years in prison. During sentencing, Blackwood commented that "the psychological torture of this unfortunate victim was immense." Instead of finding him guilty of especially aggravated armed robbery, the jury found Boyd guilty of aggravated armed robbery. Armstrong insisted he could not remember what they talked about if anything. Christopher Newsomwasa former baseball standout. Over eight months, each was tried independently on 46 charges including the kidnap, rape, and murder of Channon and Chris. When Sutton tried to approach the bathroom from another door, Davidson again blocked her, she said. They were kidnapped by five Blacks (four males and one female), who then took them to a house where . Upon searching the premises, police found Christian and determined the attacks against Christian and Newsom occurred in the house. "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. No. She said she did not know Davidson as well as she knew Boyd. Further, Mr. Newsom had been sodomized and was not wearing pants. [121][122][123][124] On August 13, 2019, a jury found Boyd guilty on nearly all charges, including premeditated first-degree murder and rape against both victims. 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. At around 8:00 pm, Christian's friend went to the party, and Christian stayed behind and waited for Newsom to pick her up. [5][141] Davidson was sentenced to death on October 30, 2009,[142] and is incarcerated at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. She was a graduate of Farragut High School and a senior at the. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. On Saturday, January 6, 2007, Christian and Newsom planned to go for dinner together and attend a friend's party. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. When they arrived, they saw an SUV with a female in the driver's seat. On January 7, 2007, the young white coupleChannon was 21, her boyfriend Chris was 23was abducted, beaten, raped, tortured, and murdered. 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. Then, they covered his head with a sweatshirt that they fastened around his neck with shoestrings. Coleman was up for parole because she had served eight years in prison in December 2014. Evil at Sea: The Disappearance of Amy Bradley. "[12] The Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed Davidson's conviction and death sentences in 2016. Most news reports came from local media and online news sites. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ordered by a judge for a defendant charged with being. [82][103], On May 13, 2010, Coleman was acquitted of first-degree murder and found guilty of lesser charges. He was a member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and a graduate of Halls High School, Class of . 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. [98] The jurors unanimously found Davidson should receive the death penalty on the four capital charges, two first-degree felony murder charges, and the two premeditated first-degree murders of Christian and Newsom. On appeal, Boyd alleges 1. 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. [76] Coleman admitted to being present in the house during the crimes, claiming that she had been held hostage by the other defendants.[77]. Another witness who lived around one block from 2316 Chipman Street heard three pops from the direction of the train tracks at about 1:45 am. "It may have started out as a carjacking, but what it developed into was blacks hating whites. Boyd and Davidson did not put up a fuss, she said. Cobbins denied having any sexual intercourse with the female victim. She didn't know (Davidson) was laying beside me," Sutton testified. They forced Christian and Newsom into the vehicle at gunpoint and bound them. and our All Rights Reserved. A memorial scholarship is given annually in his name to a graduating Halls High School baseball player. I didn't want to believe it.". She did not mourn the broken relationship long. However, before Lomonaco objected, Mileusnic-Polchan testified that Christian was found in "a forced fetal position" inside a trash can. "[17], The defendants in the four state cases from the 2000s all appealed their convictions. This sentence is to be served consecutively to the death penalty, while the death sentences are also consecutive. To do the things they did, they would have to hate them to do that. 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