Christopher Eugene Allison
A 37-year-old man in Indiana was sentenced to decades in prison for torturing and murdering his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend — the mother of his daughter — on Thanksgiving two years ago.
Delaware County Circuit Court Judge Thomas A. Cannon Jr. on Monday ordered Christopher Eugene Allison to serve 62 years in a state penitentiary for strangling Mary A. Grubb to death in November 2020, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Prior to being sentenced, Allison entered a plea of guilty to one count of murder and one count of neglect and endangering of a dependent. In exchange for pleading to Grubb’s murder, prosecutors agreed to drop several other serious charges, including strangulation, first-degree attempted intentional murder, obstruction of justice, and intimidation.
Judge Cannon ordered Allison to serve 60 years for the murder charge and two years for the neglect charge, with the sentences running consecutively.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Star Press, officers with the Muncie Police Department on Nov. 26, 2020 responded to a 911 call from a witness who told the emergency dispatcher that they had spotted what they believed was a dead body in the bed of a pickup truck at the Water Bowl recreation facility located in the 6800 block of N. Old Indiana 3.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders reportedly located Grubb’s body wrapped up in the bed on the pickup truck. She had reportedly suffered severe injuries to her head and “deep scratches” on her throat. Officers then took Allison into custody on suspicion of murder.
Prosecutors reportedly had contended that Allison brought Grubb’s body to the Water Bowl facility with the intention of burning her remains, per the Star Press.
The slaying reportedly took place at Allison’s home located in the 2000 block of East 25th Street. Grubb had reportedly brought their then-2-year-old daughter to Allison’s home so he could see the child on Thanksgiving.
However, Allison became upset and accused Grubb, who had a new boyfriend at the time, of “keeping their daughter from him,” court documents obtained by Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN reportedly state.
“Allison dragged Grubb into the bathroom and strangled her with his belt,” the WXIN report said. “He allowed her to regain consciousness twice as he read text messages she’d sent to her new boyfriend before finally killing her.”
Prosecutor Doug Mawhorr reportedly told the court that Allison believed “if he could not have Mary, no one could have her.” The prosecution reportedly said that Grubb and Allison’s daughter was “within hearing distance” when her father killed her mother.
A witness reportedly provided police with a cell phone footage of a conversation they had with Allison in which he discussed the brutal killing, moving Grubb’s remains, and possible alibis. When talking about Grubb’s murder, Allison can reportedly be heard telling the witness that she “broke his necklace” when they fought, saying she “didn’t go down without a fight,” per WXIN.
When discussing moving Grubb’s body, Allison also reportedly told the witness, “They’re not going to find her.”
After being taken into custody, Allison initially told police that he never harmed Grubb, according to the report. He reportedly ceased cooperating with authorities, however, after investigators played him a copy of the tape made by the witness.
Prior to handing down the sentence, Judge Cannon reportedly remarked on Allison’s remorseless attitude for the horrific crimes. Specifically, the presiding jurist reportedly emphasized that when a probation officer asked Allison to describe what he did, he responded, “Shit happens.”
Deputy Delaware County Prosecutor Louis Denney reportedly referred to Grubb’s murder as “one of the ultimate domestic violence cases.”
[Image via Delaware County Sheriff’s Office]