VA VA - Christine Wright, 7, Dinwiddie, 12 Feb 1974

Very, very odd. Boom, are you a man or woman. Wait, I don't get it-was the cop already at the station?
 
Thinking about you tonight, Christine. Prayers for your family. So sorry there hasn't been resolution in this case.
 
Hi everyone.
I am the sister in law to Charity Powers. Her family has reason to believe that Mueller was the perp in Christie's case. They also stated that Mueller was a maintenance person at the townhouses but that he may have been paid under the table.

Has anyone tried to verify when he left the hospital in California or tried to verify employment at the townhouses?

To answer an earlier question, Mueller is not alive. He died via lethal injection in '99.

Thank you Kristybear for sharing this information with us.
 
Hi all...first time poster, since I only found this thread today.

I was having a convo with my s/o about childhood, and we discussed "crazy stuff that happened" when we were kids, and I brought up this murder when I was in Chester.

I was a classmate of Christine's...actually, a pretty close friend at school in the classroom with her. I went by Jamie back then (long story).

My parents always thought it was a relative of hers...possibly her father...who abused and murdered her. We left for Europe in 1975, so I never really followed the story. I'm surprised that no one was ever arrested or convicted of Christine's murder.

I found this thread through The Google, of course.

Are there any recent developments, or is this truly a cold case file?

---
AJR
Hilton Head Island, SC
 
I road tripped through Virginia this past Turkey Day and saw the exit for Dinwiddie and remembered the stories of it not being a place you want to be caught in due to severe creepiness.
 
Justice for Christine Wright. Do not forget her. I am posting something on Facebook about her. Hopefully LET is getting close to some type of justice.
 
I knew of this website for many years. Up until today, I never had the strength or courage to tell my story. I have a lot to share and I also would like to share my ideas that some may not have thought of.

In 1974, my father and I lived in the Chestertowne Apartments. The way that the apartment complex was configured, I lived in a different row of apartments, however in very close in proximity. In fact, the apartment that my father and I lived in was approximately about 50 yards away.

At the time of Christine’s disappearance, I was only 8 years old. In a couple of weeks, I would have turned 9 years old.

On Friday, January 8th, 1974 I was running late to catch the bus. Because of that, I went to a different bus stop than what I normally did. There, I encountered Christine and a few other kids our age. I remember Christine and I were playing “Tag” and chasing each other around while we waited for the bus to arrive. When the bus did arrive, I remember Christine sitting next to me on the bus. This was the first time that we ever sit next to each other on the bus. We had a great conversation and laughed a lot. When we got to school and I went to my class, I remember thinking that I had a “new friend”. After school, when the bus arrived, Christine did not get on the bus. I assumed that she got a ride home from her family.

On Monday, January 11th, 1974 I believe it was a snow day and thus I didn’t go to school.

On Tuesday, January 12th, 1974 I went back to the bus stop that Christine normally was at. Because she wasn’t at the bus on this day, I remember feeling a certain sadness because I wanted to see and play with Christine at the bus stop. I was not aware at this time, that she had already disappeared.

After school, when I got back to my apartment, is when I found out that Christine was missing. The rumor was that she had ran way. I remember another friend named Chipper and I went walking around the apartment complex searching for her. Of course, we never located her.

I’m now 54 years old and over the years and I have thought a lot about this case and here are my thoughts.

  1. It appears that the perpetrator gained access through the rear of the apartment via a sliding glass. Because this happened in 1974 and I was only 8 years old, I don’t know if the sliding glass door could have been accessed from outside via a key or not. If not, the perpetrator could have accessed the sliding door without using a key. I believe that the sliding door was locked, however the perpetrator still was able to gain access without using a key. I may be naïve, but I would think that back in 1974, not too many people would have known how to access a locked sliding door.
  2. The perpetrator seemed to have familiarity with the “layout” of the apartment. After gaining access via the sliding door, the perpetrator walked in the apartment during the middle of the night, went up a flight up steps and down the hallway to Christine’s bedroom. Picking up Christine, taking her down the hallway and then down the flight of steps and then out of the apartment without making any noise to wake up anyone in the apartment. The perpetrator appeared to maneuver within the apartment without stumbling into anything.
  3. On Feb 12th, I remember waking up during the early morning hours, I recall hearing a young girl screaming “Mommy”. I believe I heard “Mommy” being cried out twice. This echoes what Christine’s mom stated. The apartment that my father and I lived in, had a parking lot directly in front of our apartment. Also there was a sidewalk that was in front of our apartment. If this was indeed Christine’s voice, that meant that the perpetrator was carrying her and she must have woken up from the cold temperatures and realized that a stranger was carrying her. Being only 8 years old, I wouldn’t have been able to tell that this person was being kidnapped. Nor could I distinguish exactly where the voice came from, other than it happened in close proximity of the front of our apartment.
I believe that the most possible theory, was that the perpetrator lived in the apartment complex in very close proximity of Christine's family apartment and the apartment that my father and I lived in. Because I heard a young girl scream out "Mommy" in the early hours, I believe the perpetrator most likely would have taken her to his apartment to sexually assult her.
If the perpetrator did live in the apartment complex like I suspect, than he would have seen her and stalked her to know which apartment she lived in. By living in the apartment complex, the perpetrator would have known that the apartments within the complex had a similar interior layout. Meaning that he would have known where the master bedroom and secondary bedrooms would have been located. I believe every apartment within the complex had a sliding door in the rear of the apartment. The perpetrator may have experimented with testing/accessing a locked sliding door using his own apartment.
There is no doubt that Christine was “targeted”. To know which apartment she lived in, to know the interior layout of the apartment and to be able to gain access via the rear of the apartment, leads me to believe that the perpetrator lived in the apartment complex, and probably within close proximity. Another possibility is that is it could have been a person that worked for the apartment complex (i.e. maintenance worker). Knowing the layout of the apartment and having knowledge of where Christine’s bedroom would be, leads me to be that there was a possibility that the perpetrator could have visited that apartment prior to the abduction.

Though I was only 8 years old, I don’t recall any investigators going throughout the apartment complex and inquiring with other residents whether they saw or heard anything. If I was an investigator, I would have focuses on every single male occupant of the complex as well as any and all maintenance workers that worked for the complex.
To this day, my thoughts and prayers have been with Christine and her family. I wish that they could solve this case. However, because the case was treated as a possible runaway at the beginning and that evidence at the crime scene was diluted or destroyed, I doubt that this case will ever be solved.
 
Since my last post, I have researched information regarding the glass sliding doors because I think this is a very important part to this case. Through my research I have found that sliding glass doors (or patio doors) typically do NOT have key locks. Meaning that that the sliding glass doors can only be locked or unlocked from the inside. If a glass sliding door is locked from the inside, a person can still manipulate the door to gain assess.

Today people can google that type of information, but back in 1974 the internet did not exist. In my humble opinion, very few people would have known how to manipulate a sliding glass door. I am guessing that the perp had experience with the installation or repair of the glass sliding door or had maintenance experience, or lived in a location that had a sliding door and may have practiced gaining access through a locked sliding door.

I think the two most plausible ways at looking at this case is:

1. The perp lived in the townhouse apartment complex (probably close proximity to the apartment that Christine lived in). He stalked her by watching her and gaining knowledge of where she lived. Because he live in the townhouse complex, he would have known the "interior layout" of the townhouses. If I was an investigator, I would have gained a list of every occupant that lived the complex and investigated every single male that lived alone within the townhouse complex.

2. The perp may have lived outside of the townhouse apartment complex, however may have either knew the family, or may have performed some type of repair or installation (i.e. phone hookup, cable hookup, etc.) inside the apartment. Their he may have encountered the children, specifically Christine. On the night of the abduction, the perp either knew exactly where Christine's bedroom was, or he went into the other bedrooms without anyone's knowledge.

There are a couple of things that still bother me about this case:

1. The mother indicated that there was two inches of ice on the patio. If the intruder came in through the sliding door, he would have encountered the ice on the patio. He would have also had to manipulate the door while standing on ice. Also, after abducting Christine from her bedroom, he would have exited out of the apartment thru the sliding door and onto the patio again. Carrying a young child while walking on ice would have been very difficult. I realize that patio may have been a small area, but it still would have been difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult. Especially in a way to not wake anyone up.

2. On the night Christine was abducted, the temperature that night was freezing or close to freezing. The perp carried Christine out of the apartment, and I know that I heard a young girl cry out "Mommy" twice during the early morning hours. However, I never heard a scream after that. I'm guessing that the perp either placed her in a vehicle or took her inside his apartment and "quieted her". I'm curious if they found any tape or anything over Christine's mouth when they discovered her body.

3. When the perp entered into the apartment, he would have seen Christine's sibling on the couch. I'm not a psychologist, but I would think that most people would have been spooked and would have quickly exited out of the apartment. Instead, the perp continued upstairs to abduct Christine, then came back downstairs and passed Christine's sibling to exit out of the apartment. To me that seems very odd that the person didn't initially get spooked and leave the apartment.

If DNA was recovered, why not use the "familiar DNA test".....I hope I said that correctly.......to trace the DNA to a relative. They did it in the Golden State serial killer case, and it helped solved that case after many years.
 
Since my last post, I have researched information regarding the glass sliding doors because I think this is a very important part to this case. Through my research I have found that sliding glass doors (or patio doors) typically do NOT have key locks. Meaning that that the sliding glass doors can only be locked or unlocked from the inside. If a glass sliding door is locked from the inside, a person can still manipulate the door to gain assess.

Today people can google that type of information, but back in 1974 the internet did not exist. In my humble opinion, very few people would have known how to manipulate a sliding glass door. I am guessing that the perp had experience with the installation or repair of the glass sliding door or had maintenance experience, or lived in a location that had a sliding door and may have practiced gaining access through a locked sliding door.

I think the two most plausible ways at looking at this case is:

1. The perp lived in the townhouse apartment complex (probably close proximity to the apartment that Christine lived in). He stalked her by watching her and gaining knowledge of where she lived. Because he live in the townhouse complex, he would have known the "interior layout" of the townhouses. If I was an investigator, I would have gained a list of every occupant that lived the complex and investigated every single male that lived alone within the townhouse complex.

2. The perp may have lived outside of the townhouse apartment complex, however may have either knew the family, or may have performed some type of repair or installation (i.e. phone hookup, cable hookup, etc.) inside the apartment. Their he may have encountered the children, specifically Christine. On the night of the abduction, the perp either knew exactly where Christine's bedroom was, or he went into the other bedrooms without anyone's knowledge.

There are a couple of things that still bother me about this case:

1. The mother indicated that there was two inches of ice on the patio. If the intruder came in through the sliding door, he would have encountered the ice on the patio. He would have also had to manipulate the door while standing on ice. Also, after abducting Christine from her bedroom, he would have exited out of the apartment thru the sliding door and onto the patio again. Carrying a young child while walking on ice would have been very difficult. I realize that patio may have been a small area, but it still would have been difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult. Especially in a way to not wake anyone up.

2. On the night Christine was abducted, the temperature that night was freezing or close to freezing. The perp carried Christine out of the apartment, and I know that I heard a young girl cry out "Mommy" twice during the early morning hours. However, I never heard a scream after that. I'm guessing that the perp either placed her in a vehicle or took her inside his apartment and "quieted her". I'm curious if they found any tape or anything over Christine's mouth when they discovered her body.

3. When the perp entered into the apartment, he would have seen Christine's sibling on the couch. I'm not a psychologist, but I would think that most people would have been spooked and would have quickly exited out of the apartment. Instead, the perp continued upstairs to abduct Christine, then came back downstairs and passed Christine's sibling to exit out of the apartment. To me that seems very odd that the person didn't initially get spooked and leave the apartment.

If DNA was recovered, why not use the "familiar DNA test".....I hope I said that correctly.......to trace the DNA to a relative. They did it in the Golden State serial killer case, and it helped solved that case after many years.
 
I just received information that Grimm had been convicted and jailed in 1973 on charges of assaulting a 10 year-old boy. This followed his having spent two years in prison for another assault on a young boy.

As an aside...In September of 1966, a five year-old girl was kidnapped, assaulted and killed in Sandston, a town east of Richmond.
Her name was Mary Elizabeth Wright. Her killer, Clarence E. Madison, was convicted in March of 1975.

Wow! I just saw this post all these years later. I lived in Sandston and went to school with Kent Wright, the girl's father in 6th through 10th grade. Clarence Madison lived only about 4 houses away from our house. We called him "Bubba". Alot of innocent people were suspected and thought to be guilty, including Kent's own brother. He was so vilified and harassed by the police that he eventually committed suicide. The mother of Mary Elizabeth wasn't able to cope and was committed to an asylum. Kent and Diane (the mother) divorced and Kent eventually moved to Chicago and was killed in an automobile accident. Many years after all this the neighborhood rumors are that Clarence (Bubba) wasn't the guilty one. Clarence (Bubba) had a mental problem. My mother used to say that she had caught him setting fires under the clothes on the clothes line several time. His brother was a couple of years older and very smart and nice. They were raised by a single mother and she had her hands full. This still haunts me to this day that it happened so close and to people I knew and played with as a 7 year old. It was the most horrific thing I had ever heard of until recent times. I still have the article in the newspaper when he was arrested .
 
Since my last post, I have researched information regarding the glass sliding doors because I think this is a very important part to this case. Through my research I have found that sliding glass doors (or patio doors) typically do NOT have key locks. Meaning that that the sliding glass doors can only be locked or unlocked from the inside. If a glass sliding door is locked from the inside, a person can still manipulate the door to gain assess.

Today people can google that type of information, but back in 1974 the internet did not exist. In my humble opinion, very few people would have known how to manipulate a sliding glass door. I am guessing that the perp had experience with the installation or repair of the glass sliding door or had maintenance experience, or lived in a location that had a sliding door and may have practiced gaining access through a locked sliding door.

I think the two most plausible ways at looking at this case is:

1. The perp lived in the townhouse apartment complex (probably close proximity to the apartment that Christine lived in). He stalked her by watching her and gaining knowledge of where she lived. Because he live in the townhouse complex, he would have known the "interior layout" of the townhouses. If I was an investigator, I would have gained a list of every occupant that lived the complex and investigated every single male that lived alone within the townhouse complex.

2. The perp may have lived outside of the townhouse apartment complex, however may have either knew the family, or may have performed some type of repair or installation (i.e. phone hookup, cable hookup, etc.) inside the apartment. Their he may have encountered the children, specifically Christine. On the night of the abduction, the perp either knew exactly where Christine's bedroom was, or he went into the other bedrooms without anyone's knowledge.

There are a couple of things that still bother me about this case:

1. The mother indicated that there was two inches of ice on the patio. If the intruder came in through the sliding door, he would have encountered the ice on the patio. He would have also had to manipulate the door while standing on ice. Also, after abducting Christine from her bedroom, he would have exited out of the apartment thru the sliding door and onto the patio again. Carrying a young child while walking on ice would have been very difficult. I realize that patio may have been a small area, but it still would have been difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult. Especially in a way to not wake anyone up.

2. On the night Christine was abducted, the temperature that night was freezing or close to freezing. The perp carried Christine out of the apartment, and I know that I heard a young girl cry out "Mommy" twice during the early morning hours. However, I never heard a scream after that. I'm guessing that the perp either placed her in a vehicle or took her inside his apartment and "quieted her". I'm curious if they found any tape or anything over Christine's mouth when they discovered her body.

3. When the perp entered into the apartment, he would have seen Christine's sibling on the couch. I'm not a psychologist, but I would think that most people would have been spooked and would have quickly exited out of the apartment. Instead, the perp continued upstairs to abduct Christine, then came back downstairs and passed Christine's sibling to exit out of the apartment. To me that seems very odd that the person didn't initially get spooked and leave the apartment.

If DNA was recovered, why not use the "familiar DNA test".....I hope I said that correctly.......to trace the DNA to a relative. They did it in the Golden State serial killer case, and it helped solved that case after many years.

To the mother of Christine Wright:
My sincere condolences to you and your family.

A few years ago, you posted "detectives from chesterfield came to us with a "ton of circumstantial evidence" on the man who was seen in the area and in the laundry room that night. He was convicted of raping an 11 year old in NY and served 7 years. Served time in Nebraska, Texas, and Florida."

I have a few questions:
1. Did the detectives ever provide a name of the suspect?
2. Did the detectives ever mentioned whether the suspect lived in the Chesterfield Townhouse apartments when this occurred. You mentioned that the detectives states that the suspect lived in the area and was in the laundry room that night.
3. Did the suspect match the description of "6ft 175 pounds, dark complexion, medium length beard? This was the description of a person that was seen by a neighbor around 10:00 p.m. before he was scared away.

My father and I lived in the Chesterfield Townhouse apartments when this occurred. I was only 8 years old at the time and had just met Christine a few days before this occurred. I went to the same school and caught the same school bus as her. I sincerely hope that one day, that this case is solved and justice for Christine will be served.
 
last post about this child was almost a year ago. I just came across this site. I was same age lived 2 miles away down the street. I have never forgotten this girls name. How my mom told me to not go outside and play and made all of us kids sleep in the same room with her for I do not remember for how long. years later I use to ride my bike through the woods(around 12 years old)anything could have happened! That is not on a childs mind like parents. I still live right down the street. she is brought up several times a year. If DNA was kept from the person who did this, there is no reason to find out who did it if they are in the data base. I just remember that my mom was frantic and did not let us leave her site.
 
Bumping for Christine. I just can't forget about her. Such a tragedy. An innocent little girl. I think about her mother and what she must have gone through (and still probably goes through) and I feel so bad for her. I can't imagine the horror.
Not sure if I already posted about this so forgive me if I did its been several years. Anyway, one day I researched Mueller, the man who was convicted of a ducting, raping, and killing Charity Powers in Chester, VA about 6 or 7 years later. I read all the court transcripts and everything I could find on line about the case. To me, it seems very possible and quite likely that he was the murderer/rapist of Christine. The poster who mentioned him said she was a family member of Charity and that they suspected him. They believed he worked for the apartments doing maintenance unofficially (under the table). Where he lived in his mother's home she was dead I think, was very close to the apartments where the Wrights were staying, Chester is not very big even today. When I have time I'll post some more info and links. He was executed (too good for him IMO).

Chrissie's horrible death haunts me to this day. Thanks for reading.
 
Since my last post, I have researched information regarding the glass sliding doors because I think this is a very important part to this case. Through my research I have found that sliding glass doors (or patio doors) typically do NOT have key locks. Meaning that that the sliding glass doors can only be locked or unlocked from the inside. If a glass sliding door is locked from the inside, a person can still manipulate the door to gain assess.

Today people can google that type of information, but back in 1974 the internet did not exist. In my humble opinion, very few people would have known how to manipulate a sliding glass door. I am guessing that the perp had experience with the installation or repair of the glass sliding door or had maintenance experience, or lived in a location that had a sliding door and may have practiced gaining access through a locked sliding door.

I think the two most plausible ways at looking at this case is:

1. The perp lived in the townhouse apartment complex (probably close proximity to the apartment that Christine lived in). He stalked her by watching her and gaining knowledge of where she lived. Because he live in the townhouse complex, he would have known the "interior layout" of the townhouses. If I was an investigator, I would have gained a list of every occupant that lived the complex and investigated every single male that lived alone within the townhouse complex.

2. The perp may have lived outside of the townhouse apartment complex, however may have either knew the family, or may have performed some type of repair or installation (i.e. phone hookup, cable hookup, etc.) inside the apartment. Their he may have encountered the children, specifically Christine. On the night of the abduction, the perp either knew exactly where Christine's bedroom was, or he went into the other bedrooms without anyone's knowledge.

There are a couple of things that still bother me about this case:

1. The mother indicated that there was two inches of ice on the patio. If the intruder came in through the sliding door, he would have encountered the ice on the patio. He would have also had to manipulate the door while standing on ice. Also, after abducting Christine from her bedroom, he would have exited out of the apartment thru the sliding door and onto the patio again. Carrying a young child while walking on ice would have been very difficult. I realize that patio may have been a small area, but it still would have been difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult. Especially in a way to not wake anyone up.

2. On the night Christine was abducted, the temperature that night was freezing or close to freezing. The perp carried Christine out of the apartment, and I know that I heard a young girl cry out "Mommy" twice during the early morning hours. However, I never heard a scream after that. I'm guessing that the perp either placed her in a vehicle or took her inside his apartment and "quieted her". I'm curious if they found any tape or anything over Christine's mouth when they discovered her body.

3. When the perp entered into the apartment, he would have seen Christine's sibling on the couch. I'm not a psychologist, but I would think that most people would have been spooked and would have quickly exited out of the apartment. Instead, the perp continued upstairs to abduct Christine, then came back downstairs and passed Christine's sibling to exit out of the apartment. To me that seems very odd that the person didn't initially get spooked and leave the apartment.

If DNA was recovered, why not use the "familiar DNA test".....I hope I said that correctly.......to trace the DNA to a relative. They did it in the Golden State serial killer case, and it helped solved that case after many years.
I hope you went to law enforcement with this info. especially the bit about hearing Christine cry out for her mother as she was being taken away... :(
 
I am looking to see if anyone has any information about Marvin Grimm. He killed my brother, Christopher Harper. I know his whereabouts but I want to know if anyone has anything

Thank you
SArah
 
Hello all
jmho of course but since he was convicted of this crime against a little boy, he could have easily taken one of Christine's brothers. imo, these individuals have preferences, age groups, and genders, that they generally stick with. again, jmo
Christopher Harper is my brother and these 2 cases are a lot alike.
 
Oh, the creek was deep and very very cold. The ice was 2 inches thick on the patio that morning. It appears she was trhown off a bridge about 100 yards downstream from where she was found. She did know how to swim, but I'm sure she was already in shock having been so desecrated.
My brother Christopher was thrown off the James River Bridge.
 
Wow! I just saw this post all these years later. I lived in Sandston and went to school with Kent Wright, the girl's father in 6th through 10th grade. Clarence Madison lived only about 4 houses away from our house. We called him "Bubba". Alot of innocent people were suspected and thought to be guilty, including Kent's own brother. He was so vilified and harassed by the police that he eventually committed suicide. The mother of Mary Elizabeth wasn't able to cope and was committed to an asylum. Kent and Diane (the mother) divorced and Kent eventually moved to Chicago and was killed in an automobile accident. Many years after all this the neighborhood rumors are that Clarence (Bubba) wasn't the guilty one. Clarence (Bubba) had a mental problem. My mother used to say that she had caught him setting fires under the clothes on the clothes line several time. His brother was a couple of years older and very smart and nice. They were raised by a single mother and she had her hands full. This still haunts me to this day that it happened so close and to people I knew and played with as a 7 year old. It was the most horrific thing I had ever heard of until recent times. I still have the article in the newspaper when he was arrested .

I have never heard about Grimm being in trouble prior to my brother being killed
 

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