Uploaded December 2009 | Updated September 2026, 1 minute ago
KNOXVILLE (AP) — A jury that convicted George Thomas of murder in the torture slayings of a young Knoxville couple sentenced him Thursday to life in prison with no parole.
The jury, brought in from Hamilton County to hear the case, heard testimony from Thomas and victims' families and deliberated for only about two hours before returning its sentence.
Thomas, of Lebanon, Ky., was convicted Tuesday, becoming the third defendant convicted in the carjacking and torture murders of 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom. In earlier trials, ringleader Lemaricus Davidson was sentenced to death and his brother Letalvis Cobbins, was sentenced to life without parole. Eric Boyd was convicted of being an accessory and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Newsom's naked, bound and burned body was found near railroad tracks and Christian had been stuffed into a trash can and left to suffocate.
Assistant District Attorney Takisha Fitzgerald told the jury in her opening statement that the crime centered on Christian's sport utility vehicle and the desire of Thomas and his friends to ride in it.
Dillard said Thomas knew the others were going to steal a car, but "didn't know they were going to steal the people in the car."
KNOXVILLE (AP) — A jury that convicted George Thomas of murder in the torture slayings of a young Knoxville couple sentenced him Thursday to life in prison with no parole.
The jury, brought in from Hamilton County to hear the case, heard testimony from Thomas and victims' families and deliberated for only about two hours before returning its sentence.
Thomas, of Lebanon, Ky., was convicted Tuesday, becoming the third defendant convicted in the carjacking and torture murders of 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom. In earlier trials, ringleader Lemaricus Davidson was sentenced to death and his brother Letalvis Cobbins, was sentenced to life without parole. Eric Boyd was convicted of being an accessory and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Newsom's naked, bound and burned body was found near railroad tracks and Christian had been stuffed into a trash can and left to suffocate.
Assistant District Attorney Takisha Fitzgerald told the jury in her opening statement that the crime centered on Christian's sport utility vehicle and the desire of Thomas and his friends to ride in it.
Dillard said Thomas knew the others were going to steal a car, but "didn't know they were going to steal the people in the car."
