In Louisiana, Tellis also had been charged withone count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a charge he pleaded guilty to in May 2016. Witnesses will include cellphone data experts, Champion said. Im just going to wait and see what happens in Louisiana, he says. of the Jessica Chambers murder trial Police found her walking on the side of a rural road near her burning car around 8 p.m. on December 6, 2014. Chambers sister AJ Prince said that his death affected her sister deeply. One of Hsiaos neighbors gave police a license plate number of a man who gave her a creepy feeling, and later identified that man as Tellis, the documents state. Yeah. And there were new witnesses, including a speech expert. Tellis later acknowledged they were together in the evening, saying he met her to sell her marijuana and had sex with her in her car, Champion said. According to Investigation Discovery, in 2019, Tellis was charged with a completely unrelated 2015 murder of University of Louisiana-Monroe graduate student Meing-Chen Hsaio. Critical Pieces Of Evidence Found At Jessica Chambers Crime Scene When his girlfriend encouraged him to call it in he had brought them home because they were shiny the responding deputy asked him to place it where he found them, and took photos. Theformer chief of the Courtland Volunteer Fire Department said his first reaction was to get a blanketto wrap around Chambers to help "conceal her.". Investigators found burned items at the crime scene, including parts of a cell phone. In the October 2017 trial against Quinton Tellis, no verdict was reached. Prosecutors describe Jessica Chambers' gruesome burning death Tellis previously told investigators that he had been with Jessica Chambers for part of the night she died, authorities said. Buzzfeed got the story, and it seemed like the entire internet was trying to answer the question: Who set Jessica Chambers on fire? "It was a terrible crime. WebThe shocking mystery of the death of Jessica Chambers, the Mississippi teenager who was found by first responders on a highway with burns on more than 93 percent of her body Intelligence Analyst Paul Rowlett testified about Chambers' and Tellis phone data, and claimed that phone data put Chambers and Tellis together at the same location just before, or possibly even during, Chambers murder. Prosecutor John Champion, left, alleged Tells may have set Chambers and her car on fire after mistakenly believing he had suffocated her. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Friends Claim It Was Domestic Violence. This is a revengeful, hateful killing., District Attorney John Champion agreed, telling PEOPLE that the attack was very, very personal. "She didn't say any other name.". She said Tellis was buying a pre-paid debit card miles away in Batesville at the time Chambers was burned. About 20,000 telephone numbers were analyzed in the investigation. One responder said it could have been Derrick, but most heard Eric. Champion said she could have been saying "Tellis," but the damage done to her throat made it sound different. She was inside her car when itwas doused with an accelerant and set ablaze, but somehow she managed to escape. The trial in Batesville, Miss., about 50 miles south of Memphis, is the focus of tight security. He says he has told Chambers family that the outcome in Louisiana likely will dictate his next move. Her face was fried out like she had stuck it in a light socket. On December 6, 2014, first responders in Courtland, Mississippi received a call about a vehicle fire. But circumstantial evidence links him to the crime: He was caught using Hsaio's debit cards after her murder, and police have obtained cell phone and ATM data that they say places him at the scene. Chambers mother said she was always smiling and she had the littlest body, she recalled, adding that her daughter loved making the I love you hand sign. He said Tellis repeatedly lied to investigators about spending time with her in the hours before she was found. Her murder trial divided the tiny town of Courtland, Mississippi after Quinton Tellis, a black man, was arrested and accused of killing her. "She kept asking for water. "He insisted this is not something he would do," Palmer said. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. This undated photograph released by the families of Jessica Chambers and her sister Amanda Prince, shows Jessica Chambers taken in Courtland, Miss. Chambers and Tellis rode around in her car for a while that morning before Chambers dropped off Tellis at his house and she went home to take a nap, the prosecutor said. I am just a mother that is dying every day, she told Fox13 Memphis. Jessica was full of life and Jessica was stubborn as a mule, her mom LisaChambers said. The horrific circumstances surrounding the former high school cheerleader's death garnered national attention. Many things have happened since that mistrial, but the crime scene, described as chaotica madhouse, still has some crucial bits of evidence that may prove useful in the upcoming retrial: Perhaps surprisingly, the murder victim was able to provide substantial evidence in her last moments alive. The defense claims that Chambers told firefighters that she was set on fire by a man named Eric, not by Tellis. February:Man indicted in teen's fiery 2014 death still awaiting trial July 2016:Suspect pleads not guilty in fiery death of 19-year-old woman, He saw Chambers in the middle of the road, clothed in her underwear and no bra. "Horrific burns," Champion said. Logically, someone might have taken the keys from the crime scene to later discard them but who? Champion said she could have been saying "Tellis," but the damage done to her throat made it sound different. The answers to these questions may be crucial to figuring out how the fire started. The murder case shocked a small town and made headlines around the nation and the man accused of killing her, Quinton Tellis, ended in a hung jury last fall. Her decomposing body was not found for 10 days. The shocking, fiery murder of a former cheerleader is about to be re-litigated in court. She had also run afoul of the law at some point and occasionally sold drugs (via Darkhorse Press). However, Jessicas friends, and some family Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Tellis then drove Chambers' car with her inside it to the back road, ran to his sister's house nearby, jumped in his sisters' car, stopped to pick up gasoline from a shed at his house and torched Chambers' car and her, Champion said. He continues to maintain his innocence. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Chambers had burns on about 93 percent of her body when she was found. Still, Jessica was well-regarded and by all accounts well-liked by pretty much everyone she knew, which is what made the shocking way she was murdered all the more mysterious. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Jessica Chambers' boyfriend shot dead 5 years after her death First one jury, then a second, failed to reach a verdict on whether an accused man splashed fuel on Jessica Chambers and caused the 19-year-old former high school cheerleader to die by setting her on fire on a rural Mississippi road in 2014. This undated photograph released by the families of Jessica Chambers and her sister Amanda Prince, shows Jessica Chambers taken in Courtland, Miss. August 2015:Jessica Chambers' father: 'We're near the end' February 2015:Authorities release more details on burned teen's last day. Lisa Chambers was outspokenover the years after the murder of her daughter Jessica Chambers, who was found burned alive in Courtland, Mississippi, in December 2014. , and that though he asked the man to leave several times, the man just gave him a blank stare. He asked Davis to note the tag number, presumably off the car. One of Chamber's ex-boyfriends, Bryan Rudd, was ruled out as a suspect by investigators early on in the investigation as he had been living in Iowa at the time, a move he had made to get out of Courtland after Chambers broke up with him. Man indicted in teen's fiery 2014 death still awaiting trial, Suspect pleads not guilty in fiery death of 19-year-old woman, Suspect in torching death of Miss. WebPhoto: Chambers Family First one jury, then a second, failed to reach a verdict on whether an accused man splashed fuel on Jessica Chambers and caused the 19-year-old former Tellis, 29, could face life in prison without parole if convicted of capital murder. Jessica Tellis then drove Chambers' car with her inside it to the back road, ran to his sister's house nearby, jumped in his sisters' car, stopped to pick up gasoline from a shed at his house and torched Chambers' car and her, Champion said. Citing statements Tellis made to investigators, Champion said Tellis and Chambers had sex in her car later that evening. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool). Jessica Chambers murder trial: Nurse said burns covered 93 She said the two of them would often drive around and smoke. Surveillance video from the gas station shows that Chambers was at the gas station (via Acton News 5). According to the plea deal outlined in court, Tellis admitted to using Hsiaos debit card without authorization to withdraw at least $1,000. Police found her walkingon the side of a rural roadnear her burning cararound 8 p.m. on December 6, 2014. But a defense attorney said Jessica Chambers told firefighters who found her near her burning car that a man named Eric set her on fire - not the person charged with her murder, Quinton Tellis. Real Name: Jessica Lane Chambers Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: Courtland, Mississippi Date: December 6, 2014 Case Details: At 8:10pm on December 6, 2014, nineteen-year-old Jessica Chambers was found burning next to her car which was also on fire. The cell phone data appears damning, but according to Karas, cell phone tower pings and other related evidence are not always conclusive especially in rural areas where there are only a few towers. A funeral was held Tuesday for Lisa Chambers, who worked hard over the years to bring justice for her daughter Jessica, who was murdered in 2014. About 20,000 telephone numbers were analyzed in the investigation. Over time the attention from the media started to trail off, the story had captured the attention of internet sleuths around the world. Tellis has pleaded not guilty to Hsiaos murder, just as he and his defense attorney maintained his innocence through the two Chambers trials. Follow Sarah Fowler on Twitter:@FowlerSarah. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "The trail was going cold in Mississippi when he got locked up in Louisiana," she said, adding that Mississippi investigators got a break when Louisiana police called and notified them that they had someone in custody from their county. They even wrote to his mother asking for answers, "Bryan can't take this anymore," she told Buzzfeed. His next hearing on the murder case is Feb. 18; a trial date has not yet been scheduled. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. According to Buzzfeed, amateur detectives began trying to solve the case on their own, however, they developed their own theories and sometimes followed information that was blatantly false, and at times even harassed Chambers' family and friends. More than 93 percent of her body wasbadlyburned. They quickly turned their attention toward the severely burned Chambers and she was transported by helicopter from the small, The tragic death of 19-year-old Jessica Chambers has been a topic of discussion across the nation after the teen was found ablaze near her vehicle. The Bizarre Case Of The Jessica Chambers Murder. Citing statements Tellis made to investigators, Champion said Tellis and Chambers had sex in her car later that evening. She died a short time later at the hospital. Jessica Chambers Mom Revisits Spot Where She Burned Alive, 5 Cousins Killed After Car Hits Bridge Barricade and Falls into Mississippi Creek, Wisc. The jury is being sequestered and spectators are being screened by metal detectors before entering the courtroom. We dont have a lot of haves and have-nots here, Rupert Howell, then the managing editor of rural Panola Countys family-owned newspaper, The Panolian, told PEOPLE in 2016. If convicted of Jessicas murder, he faces life in prison without parole. They even explored the possibility that her boyfriend who was in prison at the time of the murder had ordered a hit on her. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Yet the apparent disconnect over the name loomed large after Tellis was charged with her murder. BATESVILLE, Miss. I was face to face with her, and you could barely understand her, said Haley, according to the New York Daily News. But nobody really knows what happened that fateful night. He also said that Tellis had repeatedly asked Chambers for sex, and she had told him no. They told us she was like the waking dead, her mother, Lisa Chambers, told PEOPLE in 2016. Chambers had burns on about 93 percent of her body when she was found along a rural back road on Dec. 6, 2014, the prosecutor said. The former cheerleader planned to be a nurse before she was burned alive in 2014. WebForensic pathologist Dr.Erin Barnhart told jurors that Jessica Chambers died from smoke and soot inhalation and thermal heat exposure. The teenager, who Jessica Chambers He completed that sentence but remains jailed in Ouachita Parish with a $300,000 bond on the murder charge, the parish district attorneys office confirms to PEOPLE. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Jessica herself had expressed concerns involving her friends to her father, who worked as a mechanic for the county sheriffs office. Despite suffering from smoke inhalation and having been severely burned on almost her entire body, Chambers managed to escape. WebBoyfriend Of Jessica Chambers Found Shot To Death Friday Morning Grand Jury To Consider Charges In Quinton Tellis Murder Case In Louisiana After Second Mistrial, Ben Chambers said that according to police, a passerby discovered the girl not far from her vehicle, which had been set ablaze. Chambers and Tellis rode around in her car for a while that morning before Chambers dropped off Tellis at his house and she went home to take a nap, the prosecutor said. After wrapping a blanket around her, Haley walked Chambers to the back of his fire truck. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. on September 15 at 7/6c to learn more about the case. that she sold marijuana and dated a gang member surged in the aftermath of her death, when Chambers life became subject to just as much intense scrutiny as the mystery of her death, which occurred at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, an hour or so away from Courtland. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Jessicas smile would just light up a room when she came in.. The 19-year-old cheerleader's shocking death WebJessica Chambers, 19, was burned alive. Palmer also said eight first responders who treated Chambers asked her if she knew who did it. The case still remains unsolved, although strong evidence points to only one suspect. OXFORD, Miss A funeralwas held Tuesday for the mother of Jessica Chambers, Lisa Lynne Chambers, who died over the weekend. However, according to Buzzfeed, the case has attracted the attention of web sleuths who comb through social media looking for any clue that investigators may have missed and develop their own, oftentimes outlandish theories about who really killed Jessica Chambers. Her friend Lakesha Meyer claimed that Chambers sold marijuana. She had burns over 98 percent of her body and was airlifted to a Memphis hospital, where she died from her injuries. "I was face to face with her, and you could barely understand her," he said. during the trial that he also heard the name Eric when he asked Chambers who burned her. While he was not able to make contact with this person, he did note the license plate number, according to. Because of worries that Tellis a black man eight years older than the white, teenaged Chambers would not receive a fair trial amid all the publicity in the unsettling case, the jury was selected more than 200 miles south in Pike County, Miss., and transported Monday night to Batesville. Three years after a 19-year-old woman was burned alive on a road in rural Mississippi about 60 miles south of Memphis, a man that she reportedly had a relationship with is facing the death penalty in connection with her killing. teen sent back from Louisiana February 2016:Suspect indicted in Jessica Chambers burning death. 5 Years After Miss. Teen Jessica Chambers Was Burned to Death I mean, hes as dangerous a criminal as Ive ever dealt with, Champion said, reports Jackson, Mississippi, TV news station WLBT. Plus: Nancy Pelosis husband attacked by intruder; 8 people dead in Oklahoma murder-suicide; Man accused of burying 6-year-old alive; Delivery driver pleads guilty to murdering runner. Mom Found Guilty of Killing Toddler Son, Burning Body and Burying Him in Yard, How a True Crime Podcast Freed 2 Georgia Men Wrongfully Imprisoned 25 Years on Murder Conviction, Everything to Know About Viktor Bout, the Russian Arms Dealer Involved in the Brittney Griner Swap, Missing Ga. Toddler Quinton Simon's Bones Found in Landfill. Jessica was just a joy., Her friend Taylor Eggleston said that people loved to be around her because she did the "craziest things," according to "Unspeakable Crime: The Killing Jessica Chambers.". Tellis was indicted in February 2016 in connection with Chambers' death as hesat in Ouachita Parish Jail in Monroe, La. In the aftermath police questioned not only Jessicas former boyfriends but also convicted drug dealers who might have had a connection to her. The Panola County Sheriffs Lt. Edward Dickson confirmed in his testimony that he found a phone belonging to Chambers, and some burned clothing. Prosecutors then showed the However, that didn't matter online, where some amateur investigators remained convinced that he still had something to do with the crime. Despite a suspect going to trial twice there hasn't been a conviction in the case and it remains officially unsolved. Rumors that she sold marijuana and dated a gang member surged in the aftermath of her death, when Chambers life became subject to just as much intense scrutiny as the mystery of her death, which occurred at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, an hour or so away from Courtland. He also said that he saw a suspicious person in the area. In Mississippi, Chambers' best friend, Kesha Myers, told jurors Tuesday that Chambers was "selling drugs every day.". The victim in that case, 34-year-old Meing-Chen Hsiao, was a Taiwanese exchange student who was tortured and stabbed more than 30 times in her apartment in July 2015 by someone allegedly trying to obtain the PIN number to her debit card, according to affidavits obtained by PEOPLE. Jessica Chambers' burn injuries, suspects phone in spotlight Why wasnt gasoline also detected on other items from the scene? The defense argued that since Jessica Chambers said the crime had been committed by an Eric or Derrick, it couldn't have been committed by Tellis. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Tellis has not been indicted by a Louisiana jury in connection with Hsiao's death. When she was 17, Chambers big brother Allen, 28, died in a car crash. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Chambers was found walking on the road wearing only underwear in 40 degree temperatures when a passing motorist spotted her shortly after 8 p.m., Champion said. A former cheerleader, Chambers had ambitions of becoming a nurse. AP (Quinton Tellis, left, is accused of burning 19-year-old Jessica Chambers alive in her car.). On Dec. 6, 2014, Chambers, 19, was set on fire on a back road in Courtland, a town of 500 in Panola County. A former cheerleader, Chambers had ambitions of becoming a nurse. They quickly tended to her as best they could and tried to gather information from her. Watch Oxygens Unspeakable Crime: The Killing of Jessica Chambers on September 15 at 7/6c to learn more about the case. Chambers then picked up Tellis about 5:30 p.m. and they went to a fast food restaurant, Champion said. And she had black all over her face. While he was not able to make contact with this person, he did note the license plate number, according to WMC-TV, an NBC affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee. Tellis, 31, already has pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unauthorized use of a Chase Bank debit credit card belonging to Hsiao, reports The News Star. Eric, said the 19-year-old, who did not give a last name or answer to other questions. On the witness stand, he backtracked, saying he was in a daze when he made his initial report. WebThis is seen as another effort by prosecutors to dismantle the damaging evidence that Jessica may have identified her killer as someone named Eric, and not Quinton Tellis. 5 Key Facts About The Jessica Chambers Murder Case, American College Student In The Netherlands Stalked And Killed By Man She Met On Tinder, I Deserve To Be Locked Up: Man Gets 205-Year Sentence For Murdering 5 Family Members, New True Crime Special 'Michelle Carter: Love, Texts & Death' Explores How Texts Can Have Dire Consequences, Man Convicted Of Murder At Age 15 Insists Hes Innocent, Seeks New Trial, Ex-Policeman Who Became Crisis Worker Accused Of Raping Runaway Teen, Ex-Lawmaker Who Believed Sister-In-Law Was Murdered Killed At Same Site Six Months Later, Freckle-Faced Killer Who Was 13 When He Murdered 4-Year-Old Boy in 1993 Granted Parole, The Hate-Fueled Murder Of 12-Year-Old Shanda Sharer, Florida Teen Sentenced To Life For Murder Of 13-Year-Old Classmate Stabbed 114 Times, True Crime News Roundup: Virginia Corrections Employee Allegedly Killed His Pregnant Girlfriend, the man accused of killing her, Quinton Tellis, white female victims in general tend to get more attention from the public, the entire internet was trying to answer the question, claimed that phone data put Chambers and Tellis together at the same location, Lululemon Murder: Store Employee Suffered Over 300 Blows, Severed Spinal Cord In Fatal Attack. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! WebProsecutor John Champion told jurors that they will see graphic photos of a burned Chambers and they will hear from about 35 witnesses. I know we havent kept up with our page as much as we want Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. A key piece of evidence in the case occurred when at least eight first responders testified that Chambers claimed a man named Eric or Derrick had set her on fire. They know who killed her prove it., Asked why he thought prosecutors failed to win a conviction in two previous efforts, Champion tells PEOPLE: I never speculate on why they do what they do.. He also said that he saw a suspicious person in the area. All posts must contain accurate, unbiased information and adhere to the rules found below. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Eric set me on fire, she reportedly said to first responders on the scene when asked what happened. In his opening statement, Champion acknowledged that the first responders did hear her say the name "Eric" or "Derek." Witnesses will include cellphone data experts, Champion said. Authorities also located phone records that, they alleged, placed the pair together at the approximate time of Chambers attack with Tellis DNA on her car keys.
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