Post by nick on Feb 17, 2021 15:46:48 GMT -8
James Earl Watkins rape and murdered Christine Susan Munro long the Sacramento River Trail in June 1995, the 37-year-old nurse’s death devastated her four children. She’d been stabbed multiple times, with the cause of her death described as a deep stab wound to the neck. Watkins was 17 years old when he ambushed Munro. In 1997, two years into the investigation, convicted rapist Michael Vielbig claimed responsibility for Munro’s killing. Vielbig had been convicted the day before of raping and trying to kill two women near Shasta Lake. Prosecutors at the time believed Vielbig’s story, despite a lack of physical evidence and inaccurate details, Ultimately, he was never charged with raping and killing Munro. The case went cold.
Redding police Detective Rusty Bishop began reviewing the Munro case, including looking at physical evidence that could be analyzed with modern DNA technology. In January of 2020, Detective Bishop resubmitted fingernail scrapings of Christine Munro to the Department of Justice for DNA analysis. CODIS indicated that the material matched Watkins' DNA profile. Detectives immediately began to reconstruct Watkins' history. They learned that Watkins moved to Redding from Texas in early 1995, at the age of 17, to live with his aunt and uncle. “During his short time in Redding, he was contacted by Redding Police eight times over the two-year period.” Watkins' interactions with law enforcement included a shoplifting arrest, an arrest on an undisclosed warrant and a citation for unlawful camping, the chief said. In the fall of 1997, Watkins returned to Texas, where he continued racking up criminal charges. In the most of simple terms Watkins' DNA was under Christine Munro’s fingernails at the time of her murder. Watkins waived extradition. Authorities caught up with Watkins at a prison in Beaumont, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, he was serving time for charges including the sexual assault of a child, burglary, escape and bank robbery.
Because Watkins was 17 at the time he is accused of killing Munro, the case has been filed in juvenile court. Bridgett said, however, that her office will request a transfer so he can be prosecuted as an adult. Because of his status as a juvenile in 1995, Watkins is not eligible for the death penalty if convicted of the charges. He is eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole. James Earl Watkins, 42, is charged with kidnapping, rape and murder.
This is another case where the offender had to have evolved into a rapist murderer and his prior crimes need to be uncovered.
Redding police Detective Rusty Bishop began reviewing the Munro case, including looking at physical evidence that could be analyzed with modern DNA technology. In January of 2020, Detective Bishop resubmitted fingernail scrapings of Christine Munro to the Department of Justice for DNA analysis. CODIS indicated that the material matched Watkins' DNA profile. Detectives immediately began to reconstruct Watkins' history. They learned that Watkins moved to Redding from Texas in early 1995, at the age of 17, to live with his aunt and uncle. “During his short time in Redding, he was contacted by Redding Police eight times over the two-year period.” Watkins' interactions with law enforcement included a shoplifting arrest, an arrest on an undisclosed warrant and a citation for unlawful camping, the chief said. In the fall of 1997, Watkins returned to Texas, where he continued racking up criminal charges. In the most of simple terms Watkins' DNA was under Christine Munro’s fingernails at the time of her murder. Watkins waived extradition. Authorities caught up with Watkins at a prison in Beaumont, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, he was serving time for charges including the sexual assault of a child, burglary, escape and bank robbery.
Because Watkins was 17 at the time he is accused of killing Munro, the case has been filed in juvenile court. Bridgett said, however, that her office will request a transfer so he can be prosecuted as an adult. Because of his status as a juvenile in 1995, Watkins is not eligible for the death penalty if convicted of the charges. He is eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole. James Earl Watkins, 42, is charged with kidnapping, rape and murder.
This is another case where the offender had to have evolved into a rapist murderer and his prior crimes need to be uncovered.