From the evidence at the scene, investigators concluded that the death of the 31-year-old woman was the result of a deliberate attack.
Despite their breakup, when Erin Jones danced with another man at the bar, her ex-boyfriend became extremely angry upon seeing her. Just a few hours later, Erin was found dead in her bed at home.
Murder on the Bed
Erin Jones was a 31-year-old single mother of two and a bank teller in Dodge City, Kansas, USA.
On Friday night, May 4, 2007, she and her close friend Vanessa Feldman planned to go out together. They began the evening by watching a basketball game, then went for drinks and dancing at a local club.
The two women returned home well past midnight, planning to meet for lunch on Saturday. But that appointment would never be fulfilled.
When Vanessa arrived at Erin’s house to pick her up as planned, she noticed the gate was unlocked and the window shattered beside the door. Fearing something was amiss, Vanessa quickly dialed 911. When the police arrived, they found Erin shot dead in her bed. The victim’s face was turned towards the door.
There were no signs of a struggle in the house. This suggests that the shooting was unlikely to be the result of a failed robbery. Instead, it appeared to be a targeted attack.
The autopsy results determined that Erin died from a gunshot wound to the head. The trajectory of the fatal wound suggested that the bullet had passed through another object, possibly the glass of the door, before hitting the victim. Police also surmised that this bullet seemed to have been fired from a high-powered rifle in the backyard.
Erin’s family and friends were devastated. They couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to harm her.
The Unexpected Encounter
The police followed Erin’s trail from the previous night to identify suspects. Earlier, Erin had met and conversed with a basketball player named Elvin on social media. Elvin had arranged tickets for Erin and her friend to attend the basketball game the previous evening.
The plan was for the two friends to meet Elvin and some members of the basketball team at a local bar. However, due to overcrowding, Erin and Vanessa had to go to another bar, Central Station. Erin texted Elvin to inform him of the change in location. Elvin said he would try to meet her later.
At the bar, Erin unexpectedly encountered her ex-boyfriend, Christopher Tahah (33 years old). Christopher was a local police officer. The two had dated briefly before experiencing a less than amicable breakup.
They accidentally crossed paths, both keeping their distance. According to Vanessa, Erin then danced with another acquaintance, Jason.
From Vanessa’s account, investigators had three possible suspects: Elvin, Christopher and Jason.
Additionally, they looked into the victim’s ex-husband, David Jones. Erin had texted her ex-husband around 2:30 a.m. that day. Both had experienced conflicts and difficulties in their marriage and even after divorce, but there were no reports of domestic violence.
However, David was quickly ruled out as a suspect after the police verified his alibi.
Investigators continued to question the other suspects.
Tears of the Ex
The next was Christopher Tahah, a local police officer and also the victim’s ex-boyfriend.
Upon hearing about the death of his ex-girlfriend, Christopher shed tears. He admitted to seeing her from a distance at the Central Station bar before leaving. Christopher claimed he was asleep between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., the time of the murder.
Christopher also mentioned owning firearms besides the service-issued gun, but none resembled the rifle used in the crime.
The police shifted their focus to Jason. He admitted to spending time with Erin and dancing with her at the bar. Jason claimed to be asleep during the time Erin was killed, which was corroborated by his roommate. He was subsequently cleared as a suspect.
Elvin – the basketball player who had recently met Erin – was the next to be scrutinized. After checking text messages and confirming Elvin’s whereabouts during the time of the murder, the police concluded he was unlikely to be involved.
The Suspect
As suspects were gradually ruled out, the investigative team circled back to Christopher.
To assess Christopher’s state of mind, the police interviewed the people who were with him at the Central Station bar that night. Witnesses stated that Christopher clearly displayed discomfort upon seeing Erin dancing with another man, which prompted them to leave the bar.
A search warrant was issued for Christopher’s residence. There, they found a Winchester rifle with a .270 caliber missing a bolt. Christopher had not previously disclosed owning such a rifle to investigators. Several spent casings were also found in the trash outside his apartment.
Erin’s close friend, Vanessa Feldman, revealed that Erin had confided in her about Christopher’s controlling nature. He had been stalking Erin, always knowing what she was doing, where she was, and who she was with.
After the couple’s breakup, Christopher had broken into Erin’s home using the garage code he knew. Aware of this, Erin had been terrified and had to change the code.
These details led investigators to question Christopher a second time. He denied any involvement in the crime and agreed to take a polygraph test the next day. However, Christopher never showed up for the appointment.
After the Highway Chase
On the same day, Christopher was suspended from duty by the city police department and later fired for being uncooperative with the investigation. Christopher had been working at the police department for over three years. At the time of the murder, he was on patrol duty.
On May 12, 2007, one week after Erin was shot dead at her home, the Colorado Highway Patrol received a report of a stolen 2003 black Hummer driven by Christopher. This was the same vehicle stolen in Denver earlier. After a multi-state highway chase, authorities finally apprehended Christopher.
During questioning, he confessed to the crime. According to court documents, he admitted to feeling hurt by Erin’s decision to break up with him a few weeks prior.
The Fatal Rage
On that fateful evening, upon unexpectedly encountering Erin at the bar and seeing her with another man, Christopher flew into a rage. He returned home, changed into dark clothing, and retrieved the .270 caliber Winchester rifle, heading straight to his ex-girlfriend’s house. There, Christopher waited outside in secrecy. Shortly after, his close friend took Erin home and quickly left.
Christopher claims his intention was just to scare Erin. He pointed the gun at Erin’s bedroom and the gun accidentally fired. “I tried to put the gun down but the bullet went off,” Christopher said.
However, investigators doubted his statement because Christopher was a police officer and knew how to handle firearms. Additionally, he was familiar with the layout of Erin’s house. The 33-year-old man was charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend.
The victim’s close friend also testified to Christopher’s control over Erin. He had always kept tabs on her, even breaking into her house despite their breakup.
In September 2008, a jury found Chris guilty of shooting into an inhabited house and of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison.
