5 chilling details about Christa Worthington's murder

Christa Worthington's murder remains one of the biggest cases in the history of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which also saw its first murder in 30 years the night Christa was killed. The case received widespread attention from media houses across the world, partly because it happened in Cape Cod and partly because Christa Worthington was a renowned journalist who worked with many prominent names in New York.

The case was the subject of CBS' 48 Hours in its 20th season premiere, which originally aired back in 2007. The episode will be back on the network on July 26, 2024, at 9.00 PM EST, covering the details of this brutal murder. The synopsis for the case reads:

"Authorities search for the killer of an A-list fashion writer who left her fast-track career and moved to Cape Cod, where she became the town's first murder victim in 30 years."

Ahead of the classic episode's re-airing, let us delve into five chilling details from the case that remain a source of interest for true crime enthusiasts around the world.

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5 chilling facts about Christa Worthington's murder

1) Christa Worthington was found nearly 36 hours after she was murdered

Christa Worthington was stabbed through her lungs (Image via Pexels)

Worthington moved to Cape Cod to have a quiet life following her stint in New York as a fashion writer. She worked with prominent brands like ELLE and Harper's Bazar in New York City and moved to Cape Cod in 1997.

However, while living there with her daughter Ava, Christa Worthington was found by an ex-lover when he came to allegedly return her flashlight in her living room, stabbed to death. Authorities later determined that she was murdered 36 hours earlier.

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2) Worthington had also been assaulted, which could have also been the motive for the murder

Worthington's assault could have been the motive behind the murder (Image via Pexels)

With Christopher McCowen, the area's garbage man and the one convicted for this murder still not admitting to the murder, the motive will perhaps never be clear.

But as Christa Worthington was found half naked in her house with a knife stabbed through her lungs, authorities suspected assault. Tests revealed she was indeed assaulted before she was killed. The prosecutors in the case later argued that McCowen may have wanted to approach her, but when she denied it, he assaulted and murdered her.

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3) There was a long list of suspects in this case

Starting from Tim Arnold, who found the body, to Tony Jackett, her former lover and biological father to her child, there was no shortage of suspects. As the police delved into the case, they found a long list of ex-lovers and affairs, creating an environment of victim-blaming in the media.

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4) It took three years before the police reached Christopher McCowen

After initially thinking the murderer was Arnold or Jackett, the police finally cleared them after both had tight alibis. Moreover, they were convinced that in the small area of Cape Cod, whoever murdered Christa Worthington knew her.

After not being able to reach the murderer, the authorities started asking all men in the community to voluntarily submit their DNA. This ultimately led them to a match with Christopher McCowen, who was soon taken in and interrogated.

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5) Christopher McCowen was sentenced to life but doubts remain

Christopher McCowen remains in prison as of now (Image via Pexels)

When McCowen was brought in, he seemed to be doing everything wrong. He changed his stories and added new details multiple times, he was soon charged and sent to trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

However, with allegations of racism on the jury, there have been retrials, which have not yielded any different results. Many still believe that McCowen was used to cover up the crime and was not the one who actually did it.

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You can find more details about this case in the upcoming episode of 48 Hours on CBS.