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. Friends Claim It Was Domestic Violence. Champion said he believes Tellis suffocated Chambers and thought he had killed her. They quickly tended to her as best they could and tried to gather information from her. WebProsecutor John Champion warned jurors that they will see graphic photos of a burned Chambers and they will hear from about 35 witnesses. She had a somewhat rocky childhood, her father spent some time in prison, but by 2014 he was out and working as a mechanic for the local sheriff's department. I am just a mother that is dying every day, she told Fox13 Memphis. In the Chambers case, Tellis emerged as a suspect after investigators learned that he and Chambers were recent acquaintances in small-town Courtland, Mississippi, population 500. WebForensic pathologist Dr.Erin Barnhart told jurors that Jessica Chambers died from smoke and soot inhalation and thermal heat exposure. Her body was severely burned,. Everyones in the same boat.. This undated photograph released by the families of Jessica Chambers and her sister Amanda Prince, shows Jessica Chambers taken in Courtland, Miss. 2023 Warner Bros. What the jury doesn't know, at least not yet: By July 2016, Tellis was charged with first-degree murder in another case, theJuly 29, 2015,death of Meing-Chen Hsiao, 34, of Taiwan. AP (Quinton Tellis, left, is accused of burning 19-year-old Jessica Chambers alive in her car.). Defense attorney Darla Palmer said Tellis is wrongly accused. Neither convicted nor cleared, the suspect, Quinton Tellis, now sits in jail awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in neighboring Louisiana. Tellis, now 29, is serving a five-year sentence in a Mississippi state prison after an unrelated conviction for burglarizing an unoccupied dwelling, according to jail records. May 2016:Suspect in torching death of Miss. Mystery Deepens in Case of Burned Mississippi Teen Jessica Chambers as Police Call for Witnesses Local police and agents from federal agencies are continuing to search for the attacker, who is believed to have set Chambers on fire. The prosecution countered that Chambers' condition would've made talking difficult, if not impossible. He said Tellis repeatedly lied to investigators about spending time with her in the hours before she was found. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. According to the obituary, Lisa Chambers leaves behind three siblings, two children, and three grandchildren. She died of her injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. Tellis faces another murder indictment in Louisiana, where he's accused in the torture death of Meing-Chen Hsiao, a 34-year-old Taiwanese graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Detectives connected Tellis to Hsiao after finding security footage that showed the two together, according to affidavits obtained by PEOPLE. Mom Convicted of Murdering Toddler Because He Was 'Obstacle' to Her Extramarital Affair, Man Wrongfully Convicted of New Orleans Rape Freed After 36 Years in Jail, Emmett Till Was Lynched, and His Family Was Denied Justice: All About the Murder that Shocked the Nation, Man Found Guilty of 1982 Ax Murder of His Wife After the Case Went Unsolved for Nearly 40 Years. His Mother Is in Jail on Murder Charge, Ex-Teacher Faces Murder Trial After Family of 3 Including Teen Son Are Shot, Stabbed in Calif. Home, stubborn mystery that had everyone talking. Quinton Tellis was tried twice for her murder, each ending in a mistrial with a hung jury. The two-hour special streams on discovery+ and premieres on ID Tuesday, September 7 at 9/8c. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. 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. Police found her body 10 days later when a neighbor called about inactivity at her apartment. Champion said she could have been saying "Tellis," but the damage done to her throat made it sound different. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Former Courtland Volunteer Fire Chief Cole Haley recalled how Chambers, who was found standing in the road with the car burning beside her, couldnt speak clearly for a sickening reason. If Chambers had indeed named her assailant as Tellis defense attorney, Darla Palmer, argued during his first trial then Tellis could not have been involved, since no one knew him as Eric or Derek.. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Car crashes into building after hitting a path of vehicles in Strawberry Mansion, police say, Police investigate shooting on I-95 in South Philadelphia that injured 1, Families voice concerns about asbestos in Philadelphia schools: 'It's scary', 3 people injured, one critically in South Philadelphia triple shooting, police say, Delaware County teen honored with award and surprise party for standing up to bullies at school. She suffered burns on all of her body. Jessica Chambers' boyfriend shot dead 5 years after her death News-Star. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. What to Know About Jessica Chambers' Burning Death - People Karas said that the judge concluded that any potential prosecutorial misconduct by Champion "was not prejudicial" to Tellis. Police also had another tantalizing clue: Several first-responders reported hearing Jessica utter a name that sounded like Eric or Derek, possibly steering them toward her attacker. She said Tellis was buying a pre-paid debit card miles away in Batesville at the time Chambers was burned. "Horrific burns," Champion said. More According to Karas, the first jury came from Pike County and was sequestered, while the new jury would come from Oktibbaha County. Over time the attention from the media started to trail off, the story had captured the attention of internet sleuths around the world. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Jessica Chambers, burned alive inside her own car 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. She could be stubborn.. Jurors in that first 2017 trial could not reach a decision on his guilt or innocence an outcome repeated again in 2018 when the second jury, again convened by Judge Gerald Chatham, said it, too, was stuck. Chambers then picked up Tellis about 5:30 p.m. and they went to a fast food restaurant, Champion said. The trial is happening in the Panola County seat here less than 10 miles from the scene of the crime. 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. He says he has told Chambers family that the outcome in Louisiana likely will dictate his next move. The prosecutor also said Tellis' alibi was fabricated. Prosecutors later claimed that it contained evidence showing that Chambers had repeatedly refused Tellis for sex over texts. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool). Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Tellis defense attorney Darla Palmer accused district attorney John Champion of allegedly trying to pressure another clients of Palmer's, who is charged with capital murder in another case, to testify that Jessica Chambers used to refer to Quinton Tellis as Eric., According to an affidavit, Palmer accused Champion of numerous ethical violations, prosecutorial misconduct [and] potential criminal violations.. WebAuthorities said Chambers was soaked in fuel in her car on a rural road, set on fire and then stumbled through a roadside ditch before she was spotted by a passing motorist who Legal Expert Weighs In, Quinton Simon's Mother Allegedly Beat Toddler to Death with 'Object' After Using Drugs: Prosecutors, N.J. Despite suffering from smoke inhalation and having been severely burned on almost her entire body, Chambers managed to escape. These affidavits name Tellis as her accused killer. He also said they found a lighter that was so rusty it could not be sent to the crime lab, and a cigarette butt that they thought belonged to a firefighter. Tellis previously told investigators that he had been with Jessica Chambers for part of the night she died, authorities said. Jessica herself had expressed concerns involving her friends to her father, who worked as a mechanic for the county sheriffs office. Chambers' mother told the court that she last spoke to her daughter at 6:48 p.m. CT, about 90 minutes before the truck driver made his call about the car fire. The Panola County Sheriffs Lt. Edward Dickson confirmed in his testimony that he found a phone belonging to Chambers, and some burned clothing. Champion said Tellis first told investigators he only saw Chambers on the morning of her death. Chambers' mother Lisa who died in 2021, according to Darkhorse Press was frequently contacted on social media by people trying to solve her daughter's murder. 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. She said the two of them would often drive around and smoke. Defense attorney Darla Palmer said Tellis is wrongly accused. Champion said Tellis first told investigators he only saw Chambers on the morning of her death. But while Chambers family hopes that a third trial in the Chambers case may yet deliver the justice they seek, the Mississippi prosecutor, John Champion, tells PEOPLE that hes not rushing forward. No trial date has been set in that case. Eventually, the finger was pointed at Quentin Tellis, a gang member who investigators had been able to prove with phone records had been with Chambers the night of her murder. This is a revengeful, hateful killing., District Attorney John Champion agreed, telling PEOPLE that the attack was very, very personal. The first firefighters arriving on the scene saw Chambers' car on fire and noted that while there was an inferno raging inside the car, the trunk and engine compartment didn't seem to have as much damage to them (via Clarion Ledger). Follow Sarah Fowler on Twitter:@FowlerSarah. At one point she moved out of her mother's house for months after she didn't approve of Jessica's relationship with her boyfriend. His wife then ran down the street to tell Chambers' mother what had happened and they were all at the hospital in Memphis when she died. But, at around the age of16, she stopped wanting to be a cheerleader. Logically, someone might have taken the keys from the crime scene to later discard them but who? And where did the gasoline come from? WebJessica Chambers, 19, was found on a back road Dec. 6, 2014, in the small town of Courtland with burns over almost her entire body. Among the clues to her killer: Several first-responders reported hearing Chambers utter a name that sounded like Eric or Derek, possibly steering them toward her attacker. 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. Hsiao's body was found at her apartment on August 8, 2015. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Jessica Chambers suffered an agonizing death: Firefighters saw her walking toward them, wearing only her underwear & burned over 93 percent of her body. Jessica Chambers Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! of Jessica Chambers "It was a terrible crime. Tellis was put on trial in 2017. , still has some crucial bits of evidence that may prove useful in the upcoming retrial: I was face to face with her, and you could barely understand her, said Haley, according to the, Her face was fried out like she had stuck it in a light socket. But 14 months after a petite blonde former high school cheerleader was intentionally set on fire on the night of Dec. 6, 2014, and died within hours from her horrific injuries, the stubborn mystery that had everyone talking still had no answers. 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 Jerry King testified that he found the keys in a ditch near his house two days after the death of Chambers, attached to a pink string and a Chambers auto repair tag. 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. Volunteer firefighter Brandie Davis testified during the trial that he also heard the name Eric when he asked Chambers who burned her. This photo, provided by Fox affiliate WHBQ, shows 19-year-old Jessica Chambers of Panola County, Miss. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Theformer chief of the Courtland Volunteer Fire Department said his first reaction was to get a blanketto wrap around Chambers to help "conceal her.". 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. 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. WebThe woman was 19-year-old, Jessica Chambers. Dec. 6, 2014: Chambers was discovered on Herron Road in Panola County, moving away from her burning car. Legal Statement. According to Investigation Discovery, Investigators have mapped out the first hour after Chambers left home, but much of that night and what happened leading up to Chambers' death is unknown. All rights reserved. Tragically, she died the next day of her injuries. Palmer told jurors that Tellis never confessed to the killing. , an NBC affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee. The prosecution's case in Mississippi will hinge largely on cellphone data that place Tellis and Jessica Chambers together much of the day she died. Chambers had burns on about Web29-year-old Quinton Tellis has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of 19-year-old Jessica Chambers, who was found next to her burning car along a back road in I will leave no stone unturned in my pursuit of truth, Ashley Henley wrote on social media weeks before she was fatally shot. Her body was severely burned, said Haley in his testimony during the trial in 2017. WebShe had burns over 98 percent of her body. Surveillance video from the gas station shows that Chambers was at the gas station (via Acton News 5). WebJessica Chambers suffered an agonizing death: Firefighters saw her walking toward them, wearing only her underwear & burned over 93 percent of her body. Contributing: Ron Maxey, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal; Therese, Apel, The (Jackson, Miss.) In the first episode of The Killing of Jessica Chambers,Ashunta Winfield, Chambers friend and neighbor said that Jessica loved everybody. Her father, Ben Chambers,said she was a flyer who was thrown up in the air during stunts. BATESVILLE, Miss. A former cheerleader, Chambers had ambitions of becoming a nurse. However, Jessicas friends, and some family Prosecutor John Champion, left, alleged Tells may have set Chambers and her car on fire after mistakenly believing he had suffocated her. Photo by: Warner There has got to be something they can do. Evaristo Salas Jr. says that lies have kept him in prison and what happened in his case was easily swept under the rug.. Jessica This is breaking my heart. While prosecutors argued that Tellis strangled Jessica after they had sex and then started the fire believing she was already dead, jurors failed to reach a verdict on his guilt or innocence. WebJessica Chambers Autopsy Photos : r/CrimeScene Jessica Chambers Autopsy Photos imgur This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast After two juries failed to reach a verdict, Jessica Chambers' accused killer now awaits trial on an unrelated murder charge in another state. or redistributed. Jessica Chambers: Family Awaits Justice After Burning Death - People According to the plea deal outlined in court, Tellis admitted to using Hsiaos debit card without authorization to withdraw at least $1,000. In the October 2017 trial against Quinton Tellis, no verdict was reached. (Quinton Tellis, left, is accused of burning 19-year-old Jessica Chambers alive in her car.). Five years after Jessica Chambers' death Will Turner, another firefighter, said that. For more on this heartbreaking case, stream Jessica Chambers: An ID Murder Mystery on discovery+ now. The defense team has questioned Rowlett about the accuracy of the data. Jessicas smile would just light up a room when she came in.. WebChambers, a former high school cheerleader, was wearing nothing but underwear when she was found along a rural Mississippi road next to her burning vehicle. WREG provided this photo of Jessica Chambers, a 19-year-old who burned to death in Mississippi Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. One responder said it could have been Derrick, but most heard Eric. All rights reserved. After wrapping a blanket around her, Haley walked Chambers to the back of his fire truck. Jessica Chambers Had Bruises Indicating A Struggle, Dr. William "I was face to face with her, and you could barely understand her," he said. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Witnesses will include cellphone data experts, Champion said. 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. Tellis was indicted in February 2016 in connection with Chambers' death as hesat in Ouachita Parish Jail in Monroe, La. Yet the apparent disconnect over the name loomed large after Tellis was charged with her murder. While her keys were missing the night Jessica Chambers was found near her burning car, they would later be found down the route, a few hundred yards away from the crime scene, also on Herron Road. Eric set me on fire, she reportedly said to first responders on the scene when asked what happened. Theres no word yet if hell be tried a third time in Chambers murder. Clarion-Ledger; Ashley Mott,The (Monroe, La.) OXFORD, Miss A funeralwas held Tuesday for the mother of Jessica Chambers, Lisa Lynne Chambers, who died over the weekend. teen sent back from Louisiana February 2016:Suspect indicted in Jessica Chambers burning death. In October 2017, Jessica Chambers accused killer, Mississippi, with burns covering 98 percent of her body. Jessica Chambers case: Teen burned alive named killer before Legal analyst Beth Karas, who worked in the New York District Attorney's office, spoke to Crimefeed about the case. The horrific circumstances surrounding the former high school cheerleader's death garnered national attention. "He insisted this is not something he would do," Palmer said. The video shows Chambers pumping gas, then as she walks toward the convenience store, she waves to someone off-camera, then walks over to them. Prosecutors believe that Tellis intentionally went to the store after Chambers' attack, creating an alibi for himself. Her murder trial divided the tiny town of Courtland, Mississippi after Quinton Tellis, a black man, was arrested and accused of killing her. "Horrific pain.". "Horrific pain.". While in high school,Jessicawas a cheerleader at her high school football games. She had also run afoul of the law at some point and occasionally sold drugs (via Darkhorse Press). "Horrific burns," Champion said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Jessica Chambers grew up in Courtland, Mississippi, a town with a population of 526, per World Population Review. According to Buzzfeed, Jessica left home at 5 p.m. on the night of the murder, telling her mother that she was going to make a trip to a gas station nearby. 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. The woman was 19-year-old, Jessica Chambers. BATESVILLE, Miss. So its very important that either Louisiana get him convicted or we get him convicted., He tells PEOPLE: I just left it with them that we would meet after the Louisiana trial., The Twists & Turns After 19-Year-Old Was Burned to Death: What to Know About Murder of Jessica Chambers, Second Mistrial Declared in Ex-Cheerleaders Murder as Suspect Now Faces Trial in Another Death, Cold Cases Heat Up: How Advances in DNA Technology Are Helping to Bring Justice for Victims, Suspect in Death of Pregnant Mom Found Next to Car with Son Inside Was Recently Acquitted of Unrelated Murder, Man Charged in Rape of Slain LSU Student Madison Brooks Faces New Rape Charge in Separate Case, Will Bryan Kohberger Face Death Penalty if Convicted of Idaho Murders? She was a loving child, Ben Chambers, her dad said on the first episode of The Killing of Jessica Chambers Jessica had her faults as everybody does. 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.". 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. 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. Im just going to wait and see what happens in Louisiana, he says. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Her car keys were later found nearby, and they had Tellis' DNA on them, Champion said. Photo: Hollis Bennett. Discovery, Inc. (Screenshot from ID's "Jessica Chambers: An ID Murder Mystery"), Warner Bros.