375. Knoxville Nightmare: Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

375. Knoxville Nightmare: Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

Author: Our True Crime Podcast September 2, 2026 Duration: 1:25:07
On a cold Saturday night in January 2007, 21-year-old Channon Christian and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Christopher Newsom, set out for a party. They never arrived. By the following afternoon, two families were desperately searching Knoxville, unaware that their children had crossed paths with a group of strangers whose actions would leave behind one of the most disturbing crime scenes Tennessee had ever witnessed. This is not simply a story about extraordinary cruelty. It is also the story of two deeply loved young people, the families who refused to stop fighting for them, and a pursuit of justice that would take more than a decade to complete.  Join Cam and Jen of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss ‘Knoxville Nightmare: Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.’ Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS All music by our executive editors @theinkypawprint Sources:  https://web.archive.org/web/20070522111056/http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0%2C1406%2CKNS_347_5277265%2C00.html http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/37878832/fifth-person-charged-in-gruesome-2007-murders-of-young-knoxville-couple https://web.archive.org/web/20070522111056/http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0%2C1406%2CKNS_347_5277265%2C00.html http://web.knoxnews.com/pdf/0202body_presentment.pdf https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2018/04/04/christian-newsom-torture-slayings/485812002/ http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/newsom.asp https://web.archive.org/web/20210201085000/https://apps.tn.gov/foil-app/details.jsp http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/transcript-davidson-says-he-told-christian-he-would-make-sure-she-got-out-ep-409812679-359308971.html https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/10-years-later-remembering-christian-newsom/51-381967577 https://web.archive.org/web/20210423085932/https://casetext.com/case/us-v-boyd-6 http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/37878832/fifth-person-charged-in-gruesome-2007-murders-of-young-knoxville-couple https://web.archive.org/web/20120526114132/http://www.wate.com/story/18618771/tennessee-supreme-court-overturns-new-trial-rulings-in-christian-newsom-murders http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/judge-sentences-vanessa-coleman-to-35-years-ep-358988293-356193051.html/ https://web.archive.org/web/20130607191130/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/04/judges-order-ensures-george-thomas-will-die-in https://web.archive.org/web/20070605040843/http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0507/0301_channon_christian.html https://web.archive.org/web/20160116071346/http://jacksonville.com/apnews/stories/051707/D8P6ED601.shtml https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16599622 https://web.archive.org/web/20101117170807/http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=11412794 http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/lemaricus-davidson-gets-80-more-years-in-torture-slaying-case-ep-408272924-358681941.html https://www.oakridger.com/article/20090825/NEWS/308259998 https://web.archive.org/web/20100909110136/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/aug/26/torture-slayings-trial-day-9-jury-weighs-life-deat https://archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/the-verdicts-in-the-george-thomas-trial-ep-409259416-359047901.html/ https://web.archive.org/web/20101117170809/http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=11646588 https://web.archive.org/web/20101003193339/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jul/30/coleman-gets-35-years-judge-rejects-innocent-defen https://web.archive.org/web/20220428212455/https://casetext.com/case/us-v-boyd-2 https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/boyd-trial/judge-cannot-rule-on-george-thomas-sentence-deal-until-scope-of-agreement-determined/51-df8fa369-639b-4a5a-a279-cc9394b94ffe https://web.archive.org/web/20220609144811/https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/list-heres-what-eric-boyd-was-found-guilty-of-in-deaths-of-channon-christian-chris-newsom/51-b089fe1e-94a1-4e46-af85-1751efff1eaa State v. Lemaricus Devall Davidson, Tennessee Supreme Court, 2016. State v. Letalvis Darnell Cobbins, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, 2014. State v. George Geovonni Thomas, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, 2015. State v. Vanessa Coleman, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, 2014. State v. Eric Boyd, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, 2021. United States v. Eric Boyd, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2011. Tennessee General Assembly, Public Chapter 694, the Chris Newsom Act. Tennessee General Assembly, Public Chapter 713, the Channon Christian Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a whole world of strange and unsettling stories that rarely make the headlines, and that's exactly where you'll find Our True Crime Podcast. Each episode digs into one of those bizarre, lesser-known cases from any corner of the globe, stories that often defy easy explanation. Hosts Jen and Cam guide you through these peculiar narratives with a genuine sense of respect for those involved, balancing the darker details with their own conversational chemistry and a bit of well-timed humor. You might even get a smidge of song along the way, because real life, especially the strange parts, rarely follows a single tone. This isn't just a retelling of facts; it's a shared exploration of the oddities hidden within human behavior and society. Tuning into this podcast feels like pulling up a chair with two friends who have a knack for finding the most compelling, offbeat tales. You'll hear the careful research, the thoughtful discussions, and the personal touch that Jen and Cam bring to every story, making even the most obscure case feel immediate and fascinating. If you're looking for a true crime experience that ventures far beyond the usual cases and does so with character and heart, you've found it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Our True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
369. From Fiction to Fatal: William Savage & Patsy Byers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:56
In Oklahoma, the Edmondson family was royalty. For decades, the Edmondson name had been synonymous with public service, integrity, and leadership. Some people even called them "the Kennedys of Oklahoma." It was because,…
368. The Boogeyman of Melbourne: Mr Cruel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:53
368. The Boogeyman of Melbourne: Mr Cruel On August 22nd, 1987, a man wearing a balaclava broke into a home in Lower Plenty, Australia. After tying up the parents and their young son, he brutally assaulted their eleven-y…
367.  Hidden Fort: Jonathan Sellers and Charlie Keever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
On March 27, 1993, the morning began like countless others for nine-year-old Jonathan Sellers and thirteen-year-old Charlie Keever. The two boys set off on their bicycles, planning nothing more extraordinary than a day o…
366. Monster on the M1: The Murders of Samo Paull & Tracey Turner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:39
The UK Midlands is a region steeped in history and folklore, from the ancient Kingdom of Mercia to the birthplace of Shakespeare. But on a freezing, misty day in December 1993, a peaceful village right off the M1 motorwa…
365. The Predator of East Harlem: Arohn Kee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:32
In January 1991, 13-year-old Paola Illera arrived home from school and stepped into the elevator of her East Harlem apartment building. She was only moments from her family's 30th-floor apartment, but she never made it u…
Special: Rogue Transmissions 4: DungeonPunk (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:35
Here's part 2! Enjoy! Rogue Transmissions--the edgy, semi-annual anthology of indie podcasts--is invading your podcast feed with DUNGEONPUNK PART 2 ... a symphony of 80s nostalgia, dystopian cyberpunk, and savage swords…
364. An Unholy Act: Elizabeth Mackintosh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:18
Thank you to Kimberly for the request. Creve Coeur, Missouri, is known for its affluent, charmed lifestyle. It's a kind of safe, quiet suburb where nothing bad ever happens. But in French, Creve Coeur translates to “brok…