On July 29, 2007, Richard Messina and Sandra Cover were brutally murdered at their home by Carlos Christopher and Tabitha Messina. The perpetrators were arrested later that year and subsequently sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of double homicide in 2008.
Oxygen’s Snapped: Behind Bars season 2 episode 5, scheduled to air on September 29, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. ET, will delve into this tragic double homicide and include an exclusive interview with one of the convicted individuals. This episode, titled Tabitha Messina, has a synopsis that reads:
“Serving a life sentence for the murders of her father and his girlfriend, Tabitha Messina explains what happened for the first time on camera. She claims she wasn’t the mastermind and shifts blame onto her convicted co-conspirator.”
5 Key Facts About the Murders of Richard Messina and Sandra Cover
1) A Heated Altercation Occurred Prior to the Murders
Richard Messina and Sandra Cover were discovered deceased on July 30, 2007. Reports indicate that an altercation ensued on July 29, 2007, between Richard and Carlos Christopher when Carlos went to return Tabitha’s phone, and Richard directed a racial slur at him.
During closing statements in the trial, Carlos’s attorney, John Pyle, discussed the significance of the encounter, stating:
“What we had here, in this case, is a windstorm… a perfect tragedy of a windstorm. And those winds joined that tragic night, and this was fueled by one word. We all know this word. Not only is it a word that ridicules persons of color, It tells them they’re less than human. Words hurt. And this was one of them.”
Police found the couple’s bodies in the master bedroom, with Richard’s body positioned in a “twisted position”and covered with bedclothes. A mobile phone and a cross were located beside him.
2) The Murders Were Particularly Violent
According to Oxygen, Richard suffered six chop wounds from a hatchet, while Sandra Cover succumbed to blunt force trauma after being attacked with a crowbar by Tabitha. Carlos later admitted that Richard woke up during the assault on Sandra, prompting him to strike Richard with an axe, ultimately killing him.
3) The Killers Had Troubling Childhoods
Carlos Christopher was born in prison, with his father being a notorious gang leader who allegedly took him along during violent encounters. Detective David Volek commented on Carlos’s upbringing in 2013, stating:
“His father killed many people. His father would take Carlos along with him when he’d do his killings, so Carlos could see it and witness it.”
Similarly, Tabitha Messina faced challenges in her early life; her mother struggled with substance abuse, leading to instability, and eventually separated from Richard Messina.
4) Disapproval of Tabitha’s Relationship
Richard Messina disapproved of Tabitha’s relationship with Carlos Christopher, primarily due to racial prejudices concerning Carlos’s darker skin tone. Right before the murders, Tabitha began a new relationship with Jason Gaylord, further escalating tensions.
To learn more about this shocking case, tune in to Snapped: Behind Bars season 2 episode 5.
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