Murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

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Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

On the evening of Saturday, January 6, 2007, twenty-three year old Hugh Christopher Newsom, Jr. and his twenty-one year old girlfriend, Channon Christian were on a date in their hometown of Knoxville, TN when the couple was carjacked, abducted and taken to a house at 2316 Chipman Street, where they were tortured, raped, mutilated and murdered.

Crime

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Crimescene

The body of Christopher Newsom was found the afternoon of Sunday, January 7, 2007 adjacent to railroad tracks, several blocks away from 2316 Chipman St., in East Knoxville. He had allegedly been castrated, doused in gasoline, burned alive, and shot three times with an M-1 rifle.

The police found Channon Christian the afternoon of Tuesday, January 9, 2007. She had been repeatedly gang raped, forced to watch the torture of her boyfriend, tortured herself and murdered. Her urine saturated body was found stuffed into a trash can in the kitchen of the Chipman St. house. It is alleged that both of her breasts had been cut off, and drain cleaner was found in her mouth, anus and vagina. The latter was done in an apparent attempt to wipe out any DNA evidence their acts may have left.

The suspects

District Attorney General Randy Nichols is not saying whether or not he will seek the death penalty, but he does say the state will seek conviction for all charges filed in a 24-page indictment from the Knox County Grand Jury.

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Suspects

Lemaricus Devall "Slim" Davidson, 25, faces a total of 46 charges. Davidson was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

Letalvis "Rome" Cobbins, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Cobbins was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

George "Detroit" Thomas, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Thomas was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

Eric "E" Boyd, 24, also arrested in connection with the fatal carjacking, only faces federal charges as an accessory after the fact. He was not indicted by Knox county grand jury.

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Vanessa Coleman

18-year-old Vanessa Coleman was arrested by police in Lebanon, Kentucky. She faces 40 Tennessee state charges. Coleman was indicted on 12 counts Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, 1 count Premeditated Murder of Christian only, 1 count Especially Aggravated Robbery of Newsom only, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts of aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom and 2 Counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.