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Bigamist and first wife charged with capital murder in the deaths of four people, including second wife who was carrying nine-month-old unborn daughter

Aug 11, 2015

By Dave Andrusko

Bigamist Christopher Matthew Henderson and first wife, Rhonda Carlson

Bigamist Christopher Matthew Henderson and first wife, Rhonda Carlson

Bigamist Christopher Matthew Henderson and one of his wives. Rhonda Carlson, have been charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of four people, including Kristen Chambers Henderson, his second wife, and her nearly nine month old unborn baby.

Henderson, 40, and Carlson, 42, have also been charged in connection with the deaths of Clayton Chambers, eight, who was Kristen Henderson’s son; Jean Smallwood, Kristen Henderson’s mother; and Eli Sokolowski, Kristen’s nephew, who was one-year-old.

All were found in a burning house last week at St. Clair Lane in New Market, Alabama.

Henderson and Carlson are being held without bond.

“It’s unclear if the couple will be charged in the death of Kristen’s unborn child that family members say was a girl,” according to Kiri Blakeley of the Daily Mail. The baby was due September 2.

Kristen Henderson had obtained a protection-from-abuse order from the Madison County Circuit Court against Christopher Matthew Henderson

“During that hearing it was discovered that Christopher Henderson was also married to Carlson, investigators said,” reported Jonathan Grass for Al.com. “The two suspects were married in Madison County in February 2013, said Chief Deputy Dave Jernigan. He said Christopher Henderson married Kristen Chambers Henderson in September 2014 in Fayetteville, Tennessee.”

The suspects were seen at the home on surveillance video around the time the fire began. Henderson and Carlson were initially detained by Huntsville police until deputies took them in for questioning. Investigators reportedly anticipate more charges to be filed in this case.

According to the Daily Mail’s Blakeley

Reportedly, Christopher Henderson had filed for divorce from Kristen Henderson on July 14. …

She was also granted an order of protection based on her testimony that he had hit her.

“He has lied about everything since we met,” she wrote in the filing,

If someone is convicted of capital murder in Alabama, it carries one of two possible sentences: Life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

“[Christopher] Henderson had posted a picture of wife Kristen’s ultrasound on February 9,” Blakeley wrote, “which his wife gave the thumbs up to.”

Categories: Crime