A prominent television sports reporter and her husband have been discovered deceased inside their Alabama home in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide.
Tragic Discovery in Hoover Home
Christina Chambers, a respected journalist for Birmingham's WBRC, and her husband Johnny Rimes were found unresponsive by a family member on the morning of Tuesday, December 16. The grim discovery was made at their property on the 700 block of Highland Manor Court in Hoover, Alabama, around 9am.
Officers from the Hoover Police Department and emergency medics rushed to the scene. Tragically, both a male and a female victim were pronounced dead from gunshot wounds. In a statement, Hoover Police indicated that, while the investigation remains in its early stages, the deaths appear to be the result of a murder-suicide and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
In a heartbreaking detail, the couple's three-year-old son, Constantine, was present in the home but escaped physically unharmed.
Lives and Careers Cut Short
Christina Chambers had been a valued and popular sports reporter for local Fox affiliate WBRC for nearly a decade, joining the station in November 2015. She dedicated her career to covering collegiate and high school sports across Alabama and Georgia, with a particular passion for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Following her marriage to Rimes in 2021, she transitioned to a new role as an educator at a local high school, advising students on television and film, while continuing occasional freelance reporting.
Her former colleagues at WBRC paid an emotional tribute during an afternoon news broadcast. "Knowing Christina was knowing joy," one coworker stated. The station released a statement honouring her as a "beloved colleague whose warmth, humor, and passion for sports left a lasting impact." She was also remembered as a devout Christian with a strong work ethic.
Johnny Rimes, her husband, had worked as a financial analyst at the American Cast Iron Pipe Company for almost 14 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Community in Mourning
The shocking incident has sent waves of grief through the local journalism and wider Alabama community. The police investigation into the precise circumstances surrounding the deaths is ongoing.
This tragic event underscores the devastating and often hidden reality of domestic violence. While the investigation continues, the focus for many remains on the couple's young son and the families left to grapple with an immense loss.
