Katherina- Marie Yancy
Thirty-two-year-old Chris Childress and 21-year-old Cortez Waller got into a heated argument in the parking lot of the Conway Police Department. Cortez is now behind bars for murder.
Police say a love triangle is the possible motive for murder. Now three kids are without a father. Twenty-six-year-old De'Randa Carter and fiancé Childress have been together for 8-years. They planned to get past the affair, but say the other man couldn't let go.
Carter cries on her moms shoulder, "Momma, I didn't get to kiss him, I tried to tell him momma I loved him and he couldn't hear me momma, he was dead momma."
Carter is filled with guilt, she witnessed her fiancé, shot by her ex-lover, Waller.
She adds, "I told Chris the other day I had a fling. He said as long as I told him the truth he'd stay with me and we'd work it out."
Carter's mother, Delana Head says the lovers worked together, until Carter had to quit because Waller allegedly became obsessive. Thursday, Waller followed the couple in his black Impala.
With tears falling down her face, Head says, "They happen to stop in front of the police station. My daughter said she tried to stop him (Chris) from jumping out of the vehicle, he jumped out and the guy shot him 2 or 3 times." She continues, "All I know is the kids were in there so they saw it too."
After Waller shot the victim multiple times with a .45 caliber gun, he walked into the Conway Police Department and turned himself in.
Chris Harris with the Conway Police Department adds, "The victim was transported to Conway Regional and he has since been pronounced dead and we have Mr. Waller in custody. Right now the detectives are with the prosecutors at this time investigating and questioning."
The tragedy will forever affect many families. In Waller's dashboard, there is a picture of a little girl.
Although all three of Carter and Childress kids were in the car, they haven't been told their dad is dead.
Carter cries, "I can't believe he lost his life because of something I did and I can't take that back. I loved that man, he is a good daddy, he was a good man and I love him. I don't know how me and the kids are going to do without him."
Carter and Childress' kids are 2, 4 and 7 years-old.
The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. Childress' death has been ruled a homicide, his body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime lab for an autopsy.
Waller has been charged with 1st Degree Murder and is currently being held at the Faulkner County Detention Center.
1 comment:
Quite a few errors in this story and it needs an update...
Waller has been acquitted of all charges and the case has been ruled self defense.
Childress had found out about the affair and was following Waller. Waller parked in front of a police station and Childress pulled directly up to the side of Waller's vehicle, jumped out, and ran towards Waller, who had also gotten out of his vehicle.
Waller shot him down just short of Childress reaching him. This is a perfect example of self defense and it's a shame that Waller was forced to endure a trial over this clear cut case of self defense. The entire incident was on video tape, and it's a sad comment on our legal system and the prosecutor that he was charged in the first place.
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