10-year-old boy ran to a neighbor for help after his mother’s ex-boyfriend came to their home a day after the woman ended their relationship and shot her and her parents to death; man sentenced

North Carolina – In a disturbing case in North Carolina, a young boy witnessed the tragic murder of his mother and grandparents, a crime that led to the sentencing of a 28-year-old man, identified as I. Christenbury, to three consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.

On October 22, Christenbury, in a fit of rage the day after his girlfriend, Jenna C., ended their relationship, murdered her and her parents, Charles and Cyndi C., both aged 61. The horrific incident unfolded in front of Jenna’s 10-year-old son, marking a traumatic episode that would change his life forever.

The local community was shaken when details emerged of how Christenbury had brutally shot Jenna and her parents at their home. The terror did not end with the shootings; Christenbury also pointed the gun at the young boy’s head before ultimately sparing him. The child, demonstrating incredible bravery, ran to a neighbor’s house to seek help, leading to the neighbor’s urgent 911 call. The neighbor recounted the chilling moment to local news sources, saying, “The next thing I know, the little boy came up between mine and my husband’s car, up to the walk, grabbing a hold of me, telling me his grandparents just got shot in the head and killed.”

Responding officers and first responders arrived at the scene to find a horrifying sight: Charles’ body was at the top of the stairs and Cyndi’s in the dining room, both having suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including fatal shots to the head. Jenna’s body was discovered outside near a swimming pool, also shot multiple times in the head.

During the trial, the impact of Christenbury’s actions was palpably felt across the courtroom, especially when family members delivered their statements. P. Brown, Cyndi’s sister, expressed her enduring pain and anger in a statement read by the prosecutor, stating, “What he did to Cyndi and her only living son and grandson, he shattered their world. They have scars that will never heal. And what that 10-year-old baby saw shows how cold and merciless he is.”

Christenbury’s admission came chillingly during a 911 call he made while fleeing the scene, confessing to the shootings and expressing a tumultuous mix of remorse and justification for his actions. He told the operator, “I feel bad for what I did, but I don’t feel bad for why I did it. I need help.” Further investigations revealed that Christenbury had driven directly from work to his girlfriend’s residence with the intention to kill, fueled by the breakup with Jenna the previous day. His parents confirmed that Jenna had ended the relationship, and evidence placed him at the crime scene at the time of the murders.

The case concluded with Christenbury’s guilty plea to three counts of first-degree murder, leading to his life sentence without parole, plus additional comments on his future confinement. The court also heard from the courageous young boy, whose testimony about the loss of his mother and grandparents highlighted the profound impact of the tragedy on his life.

Judge D. Cureton addressed the boy during sentencing, praising his bravery and expressing hope for his future: “You have a strength I could only hope to have. I hope you become the best version of yourself that you can become, not only for yourself but those who lost their lives by such a horrible, horrible act.” As the community continues to heal, the sentencing offers some closure to the families affected by this devastating event, yet the scars of that day remain, a stark reminder of the consequences of domestic violence and the innocent lives often caught in its wake.