Memorial Day Murder on Investigation Discovery features the case of Christopher “Chris” Northam Sr., who was murdered by his son, Christopher Jon Michael Northam Jr.
On May 30, 2011, police officers with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Skim X in Roseville, California, after receiving a call about a dead body inside the indoor sports business.
When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered the 44-year-old owner of Skim X, Christopher Sr., with multiple gunshot wounds.
Following a nearly nine-month investigation, detectives arrested the victim’s son, Christopher Jr., who was 25 at the time, as cell phone records placed him at Skim X at the time his father was shot to death with a rifle.
He was booked into the Placer County jail without bond on suspicion of premeditated murder. Investigators determined the motive was money as Christopher Jr. was to receive insurance money after his father’s death.
Christopher Jr.’s ex-wife, Averill Elizabeth Easley, was also arrested as an accessory to murder. Police said she gave false and misleading information, which led to a delay in their investigation.
Before filing a restraining order against her husband., Easley stated that she had to convince herself that he wasn’t involved in his father’s murder. Once she realized that he did kill Christopher Sr., she became frightened.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelEasley went on to say that the two got married shortly after Christopher Sr.’s murder so that she wouldn’t have to testify against her husband.
Christopher Jr. denied killing his father and tried to fool everyone into thinking he was a distraught son who had just lost his father. In a Facebook post, he wrote the following:
“I have experienced the worst year of my entire life. I lost my Dad in the most tragic way possible, lost our business that we built together and had dreams of accomplishing, and lost my family (my wife and step son). I don’t know anyone that has gone through what I have this year. In some cases I am looking forward to the new year but I also know I will shed a few tears for the losses I have endured this year. I will miss those who I have lost.”
In November 2015, Christopher Jr. pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Memorial Day Murder airs at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.
Does anyone know if the insurance was paid out? My guess it that the $ 1 million dollar payout that Chris Jr. stood to gain is why his wife didn’t come to the police until AFTER they were married, even tho she knew he was the killer on day 1. That’s the perfect scenario. Get married, rat on your husband, and then spend the million while he’s in jail. She must’ve got a real big laugh out of all this.