Forensic Files: Where is Tamika Huston's killer Christopher Hampton now?

Christopher Hampton was serving his time for a minor traffic charge in June 2004 when Tamika Huston's disappearance was publicized with efforts from her family and friends. Tamika lived in her Harvard Drive home when she was reported missing in early June.

With the investigations unfolding, Christopher Hampton confessed to murdering Tamika by throwing a hot iron at her head and led the officers to her burial site in August 2005. He was sentenced to life in prison and is presently incarcerated at the Broad River Correctional Institution of the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

The Forensic Files episode, titled Skeleton Key, aired on May 20, 2011, and covered Tamika Huston's case in detail. The official synopsis reads,

"When a nursing student goes missing, investigators find her car, which contains the key to an unknown location that could provide important clues."

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How was Christopher Hampton arrested?

Tamika was seen for the last time on May 27, 2004, following which her family checked in on her. A welfare check was conducted at her residence by the Spartanburg Public Safety Department. They found that Tamika's pregnant pet pit bull, Macy, had already delivered her pups and eaten some under distress.

As Tamika's family tried to reach out to media houses and news desks for coverage of her disappearance, a manhunt for her went on for 15 months till Christopher Lemont Hampton was arrested. According to court documents, Hampton had denied any knowledge of Tamika as investigations began in December 2004.

However, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant and found Tamika's blood evidence in Christopher's apartment, which he rented in 2004. When served with a murder warrant, he led investigators to her remains in the woods in August 2005.

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How did Christopher Hampton kill Tamika Huston?

Tamika Huston and Christopher Hampton had been dating for two or three months. The two had been facing relationship problems as Christopher was expecting a child from another woman. He had allegedly been saving up for the incoming child as well.

On May 27, 2004, Tamika had been over at Christopher's apartment when he had been ironing his clothes for work as the couple argued over money. According to GoUpstate, Christopher shared,

"She said, 'You care about the baby more than you care about me.'"

In a rage, Hampton threw the hot iron in Huston's face. Hampton drove around for an hour in disbelief as it hit her head and killed her. Per his exclusive with the Herald-Journal, Christopher placed Tamika's body in his friend's car and drove around. He mentioned the thought of taking her to a hospital, but he left for the woods, where he removed Tamika's clothes and buried her.

However, the court documents mention that Hampton rolled Tamika's body in a comforter and hid it in the closet. He cleaned his house with bleach borrowed from his neighbor to get rid of any evidence, drank beer, and had s*x with another woman in the bedroom where Tamika's body was hidden.

When he was released from prison in July 2004, he went back to the burial site to relocate the body. This time, he removed the head, placed it in a plastic grocery bag, and disposed of it in a garbage dumpster.

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Where is Christopher Hampton now?

Christopher Hampton had a criminal record with federal bank robbery charges. He had been in prison for seven months upon violation of his probation. On August 12, 2005, the day he was to be released, the officers approached him with a murder warrant when he allegedly confessed to the crimes.

Hampton led the officers to the burial site, where Tamika's remains were identified positively. He pleaded guilty to the murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Christopher Hampton is presently incarcerated at the Broad River Correctional Institution of the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

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The details of Tamika Huston's murder have been covered in Forensic Files' Skeleton Key.