Plot to kill husband not woman's only problem: Prosecutors imply she has info on Priest's disappearance
6/16/2002 By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard
Facing charges she tried to hire a hitman to kill her husband last month, Tresia Christopher was the target of stinging innuendo Tuesday when prosecutors questioned her about the murder of a former husband a decade ago and the mysterious disappearance of her grandchild's mother last year.
Christopher, 44, was bound over to the grand jury Tuesday by Judge Larry Ross on the charge of attempted murder. She remains held under $200,000 bond. She was indicted on the charge Friday by the Warren County grand jury and will face arraignment later this month.
The indictment comes after she allegedly tried to hire an undercover TBI agent to kill her husband. The plot was foiled after the man she allegedly tried to hire to kill her husband, Juan de la Cruz, went to police and reported her plans. A TBI agent was then introduced to Christopher and presented by Cruz as the man who would kill her husband.
"She told the agent she wanted to get rid of her husband," said Sheriff's Investigator Jackie Matheny Jr., during the preliminary hearing. "She said she wanted him dead."
Matheny said he overheard the conversation while watching the deal in Wal-Mart parking lot. The car in which the TBI agent talked to Christopher was wired and lawmen were listening and recording nearby. Matheny noted Christopher gave the agent $400 and a diamond ring and promised him $3,000 the following day.
It was later learned Christopher's husband, the intended target, was going to borrow the money to give to his wife on the premise she would in turn give the money to Cruz to bring one of his relatives to America. The defense maintained the money was being paid to Cruz to keep him away from Christopher so the couple could reconcile their marriage.
After payment of the $3,000, Christopher reportedly told the agent she would make a final payment to him of $25,000 once she collected her husband's life insurance.
On cross-examination, Assistant Public Defender Bobby Boyd questioned Cruz's motivation in turning in Christopher to authorities. Boyd suggested Cruz and Christopher were seeing each other at one time, noting Cruz and Christopher were "on the outs" when he turned her in after she returned to her husband.
Boyd also pointed out Cruz had two guns in his possession as he sat in the car with the agent and Christopher. The guns were reportedly given to Cruz by Christopher to kill her husband. The guns belonged to the intended victim.
While the preliminary hearing was uneventful, prosecutors hit Christopher from left field when she asked for a reduction of bond. The surprise assault happened as Christopher's son, from a prior marriage, was testifying.
Michael Macey, who will return to combat with the U.S. military in Afghanistan this week, told the court he had an on-and-off relationship with his mother and could not vouch for his mother staying in the area if released on bond.
"This is pretty serious, so I don't know," Macey admitted
It was at that point prosecutors asked about the death of his mother's former husband, Floyd King.
King was stabbed to death during an altercation with David Henley in Murfreesboro in February 1991. Henley was subsequently sentenced to five years for manslaughter after he claimed King attacked him first.
During the trial, Henley claimed King attacked him, saying someone had stolen $3,500 from him and that his wife (Tresia Christopher) was staying out late. Henley was a friend of the family.
When asked if she had been seeing Henley prior to her late husband's death, Christopher, who took the stand in her own behalf during the bond hearing, denied any involvement with Henley or her late husband's murder.
"He was just a young boy," Christopher said of Henley. "He was a young man who worked for us and lived on our property."
The attention next turned to the mysterious disappearance of Ramona Priest, 19, who vanished without a trace in February 2001. Police now suspect Priest may have fallen prey to foul play.
"You were one of the last people to see her," said Assistant District Attorney Tom Miner, noting Christopher had legal custody of Priest's infant, who is also Christopher's grandchild. The child was placed in state custody upon Christopher's arrest. Miner also pointed out Priest's purse was found at Christopher's residence.
In response, Christopher pointed out she was the one who mounted a campaign to find Priest by circulating fliers with the missing teen's picture. She denied knowledge of Priest's whereabouts.
Despite the surprise barrage by prosecutors, Christopher still asked for her bond to be reduced, noting some of her 12 siblings would likely help raise bond if it was set at a manageable amount. Christopher pointed out she could not go home to her husband now.
After hearing the argument, Judge Ross refused to lower bond, noting the chance of conviction on the attempted murder charge was high and that Christopher faces a lengthy sentence if convicted. The charge of attempted murder carries 15 to 25 years in prison.
