Letalvis Cobbins receives additional sentences

February 27, 2010
knoxnew.com

KNOXVILLE - A Knox County judge today added 100 years to murderer Letalvis Cobbins' life without parole sentence.

The additional time was for crimes committed leading up the deaths of Knox County couple Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, in January 2007.

...The decision came after a hearing to determine whether Cobbins should receive additional punishment for crimes that preceded the deaths of the University of Tennessee student and her boyfriend, a trim carpenter...

Cobbins had testified at his own trial that Eric Boyd and Davidson killed Chris Newsom. Boyd is in a federal prison for carjacking Channon Christians vehicle.

Cobbins was convicted of their deaths and of kidnapping and robbing them and of raping Christian...was the first of four defendants to be tried in the case.

Davidson has been sentenced to death. Suspect George Thomas was sentenced to life without parole. Suspect Vanessa Coleman faces trial in May.

read article here
Photo's from knoxnews.com: Letalvis 'Rome' Cobbins face…



Also read:

Cobbins faces victims’ families at hearing
Cobbins' sentencing hearing delayed
Gun evidence can be used in Coleman's trial, judge rules

No DNA match for sperm found on Channon Christians underwear

Right: Channon Christian

Knoxville Tennessee

October 8, 2009

knoxnews.com

Knoxville News Sentinel

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KNOXVILLE - A specialized test shows sperm found on a pair of torture-slaying victim Channon Christian's underwear does not match the DNA of any defendants or suspects in the case or the DNA of boyfriend and fellow slaying victim Chris Newsom.

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...For now, the sperm source remains unknown. Defense attorneys for alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson, facing trial this month in Knox County Criminal Court, sought the testing with hopes of clarifying the source of the sperm...

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Authorities allege Davidson led his brother, Letalvis Cobbins, and two other defendants in carjacking, raping and killing Christian and Newsom.

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Eric Boyd has been identified by prosecutors as a suspect in the killings but so far has only been convicted of related federal accessory charges. So it couldn't be Eric Boyd?

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Christian's body was found in a trash can in Davidson's rental home and Newsom's burned body was found along railroad tracks near the house.

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Davidson, who faces the threat of the death penalty, is to be tried Oct. 19 in Knox County.

Cobbins has been convicted and faces life in prison without a chance for parole.
Co-defendants George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman are awaiting trials.
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read article here

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While my heart did thud for a second when I read the above article, after having pondered 'n such, I don't worry about this development as detrimental to the case against Lemaricus Davidson. His sperm was found in her vagina and rectum.

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Now, wording could be everything in this report. In paragraph one it is stated that the sperm does not match any defendant or suspect in this case. OK. But Eric Boyd, has been tried and sentenced to 17 years as an accessory and aiding and abetting in carjacking. Are they not counting him as a suspect in this case because he has been incarcerated already? LE certainly works in mysterious ways at times.

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Or did the Feds, as I suspect, just tuck him away on those charges and are waiting for additional information to be revealed during the trials of Cobbins, Davidson, Thomas and Coleman. Then they can file murder charges on Boyd as well.

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From what I've read about the case, Channon was undressed and redressed more than once, twice to go to the bathroom she put clothes on and, off the top of my head I can't remember whether Channon was dressed when she went in the trash can. Seems like she was.

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My point being, the panties she was wearing could have been any ones. Lemaricus' girlfriend, Vanessa's, whatever woman may have been there in the last month or so.

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Remember in the Brianna Dennison case in Reno, Nevada, the murderer left another woman's panties with her body to confuse the police. It worked for a while. I imagine if they ran the DNA that was found through CODIS, they might find a crack-ho in Knoxville who actually owned and wore these panties.

The Murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, Knoxville, Tennessee

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I've become totally immersed in the case of the rape, torture and murder of two young college students, Channon Christian and Chris Newsom on January 6/7, 2007. This is probably the most heinous, hate-filled, deviant crime I have ever heard of. My heart goes out to the families of Chris and Channon.

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Unbelievably, I don't recall ever hearing about the crimes at the time, even though it sparked racial tensions in Knoxville, Tennessee because the victims where white, middle-class students and the alleged perpetrators are black. Certain groups in that vicinity challenged the idea of Channon and Chris as victims, claiming it was a just crime, part of reparations of past slavery, yadda yadda, racist garbage.

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There seems to have been a lot of pressure to keep the extent of the crime out of the scope of the national media, from both law enforcement and the victims' families, who were trying to keep media coverage at a minimum to salvage what dignity they could for their children in death. The attacks against Channon and Chris were savage, despicable and worse than cruel.
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Captured within a few days, all of the suspects turned on each other pointing fingers. The group seemed to take sides: Davidson and Boyd backing each other accusing Cobbins, Thomas, and Coleman and vice versa--Cobbins, Thomas and Coleman left for Kentucky and claimed to have been victims themselves--held there against their will. While Davidson and Cobbins are half-brothers, in this case blood is apparently not thicker than water.
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In 2008, Eric "E" Dewayne Boyd, asked for a speedy trial, was charged and convicted of 'accessory to carjacking' and 'aiding and abetting' in federal court and sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. It is mind boggling that he was not charged with AT LEAST accessory to rape, kidnap and murder as well. His DNA was not found on either bodies. When stopped on the streets he led the police right to Davidson. Although he looks quite stupid, he was smart enough to know that first to talk gets the best deal--guess it's true. I think his involvement is MUCH more than his charges. There is no statute of limitations on murder, I don't know what they are on the other charges. They know where he is for at least the next 17 years.
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The four people charged with the murders are now being tried by the state of Tennessee. They are as follows:
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Latalvis Cobbins: sentenced on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 to life in prison with out parole, being found guilty of 30 some counts. Boyfriend of Vanessa Coleman, buddy to Geo Thomas. Half brother of Lemaricus Davidson.

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Lemaricus Davidson: tomorrow, August 31, court will continue trying to seat a jury. Charged with 40 some counts (numbers may be off, but I'm tired, sorry), car-jacking, kidnapping, rape, murder, numerous counts of each. Buddy to Eric Boyd. Half-brother to Cobbins.

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next up: George Thomas due for trial in October,

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Vanessa Coleman trial set for November.

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Here are a bunch of links. I hope you will read the story and join me to pray for the victims families. Once the trial in underway this week I'm hoping to cover Davidson's trial closely now that I know what happened.

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Murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

Four men charged in Knoxville double murder investigation

Double homicide in Tennessee-Christian/Newsom Murders

GUILTY: Eric Boyd's Christian-Newsom murder accessory trial over

Life without parole: Jury rejects death penalty for Letalvis Cobbins

KNOXNEWS.com has incredible coverage and archives here

and daily coverage here.