Christa Worthington (December 23, 1956 – January 6, 2002) was a United States fashion writer who worked for Women's Wear Daily, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, and The New York Times. She was also a co-author of several books on fashion.Murder She Wrote People.com, June 30, 2003
Worthington was stabbed to death at her home in Truro, Massachusetts (on Cape Cod). Her body was found on January 6, 2002, with her two-year-old daughter, Ava, clinging to it. The child was unharmed.
On April 15, 2005, a local garbage collector, Christopher McCowen, was arrested and charged with her rape and murder. McCowen had lived on Cape Cod since about 1998 and had been a garbage collector whose regular route included Worthington's home. McCowen was charged on the basis of genetic fingerprinting and incriminating statements he made during a police interview.
On November 16, 2006, he was found guilty in Barnstable Superior Court of first-degree murder, aggravated rape, and aggravated armed burglary. He was sentenced to life without parole.
In January 2008, a hearing was held to determine whether racism was a factor in the jury's decision to convict McCowen. Three jury members testified separately that fellow jurors made racist remarks during deliberations."Judge questions jurors about alleged bias in deliberations." Boston Globe. January 10, 2008. In December 2010, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied an appeal for a new trial.Court denies appeal for man convicted of Cape writer's murder . Boston Herald. December 10, 2010.
See also List of homicides in Massachusetts
References
External links Christa Worthington, murder on Cape Cod News coverage of events leading to trial and trial coverage 48 Hours, Murder on the Cape (originally aired March 6, 2007) Cape Cod Times: Christa Worthington murder case
Links to some articles written by Worthington: NYC Times Article on African fertility dolls NYT News Service article on Navigational Aids