Christina Ann Thompson and her husband Jason Harris should have been enjoying a happy time with their second child, born just four months earlier. However, in September 2014, Christina expressed concerns to a friend about her 11-year marriage. While Christina, 36, cherished domestic life, engaging in activities like scrapbooking and family game nights, Harris, who worked in a plastics factory, spent minimal time with his family. Behind closed doors in their Davison, Michigan home, tensions were escalating.
On a morning in late September, Harris contacted a neighbor, worried about Christina’s well-being as she was unresponsive and cold to the touch in bed. Despite efforts by the neighbor and emergency services, Christina was pronounced dead. The cause of her sudden death puzzled everyone.
Initial reports from Harris suggested Christina had been unwell the night before, struggling with illness aggravated by asthma. He claimed she had collapsed while eating cereal and that he had placed her in bed before leaving for work. However, investigations uncovered heroin in Christina’s system, leading to the conclusion of an accidental overdose. This revelation shocked those who knew her, as Christina was believed to be drug-free.
Further inquiries revealed distressing allegations against Harris, including infidelity and discussions about harming Christina. Witnesses came forward with accounts of Harris seeking drugs to drug his wife and even attempting to hire a hitman to kill her. Colleagues and friends painted a picture of Harris wanting Christina out of his life without financial repercussions.
A critical turn in the case came when Christina’s family tested her breast milk postmortem, which showed no drug traces. Subsequently, Harris, fired from his job due to drug test failures, was accused of spiking Christina’s food with heroin to orchestrate her death.
In August 2019, almost five years after Christina’s demise, Harris was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, solicitation of murder, and drug delivery causing death. Despite pleading not guilty, evidence of his involvement surfaced through incriminating conversations and actions leading up to Christina’s death.
Following a trial in November, Harris, found guilty on all counts, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The judge condemned Harris’s actions, labeling him a murderer and condemning his lack of remorse. Despite the verdict, the tragedy of Christina’s murder at a time of supposed joy remains a poignant reminder of the loss suffered by her loved ones and the irreparable harm inflicted on her children.
With Harris serving his sentence, justice for Christina has been achieved. However, the emotional wounds left by her absence will never fully heal, and her children will forever miss their mother.