I dug around and found some support for the theory that Eric Boyd raped Chris Newsom, and also that Boyd had gay *advertiser censored* on his cellphone. It is posted below. It's not that easy to cite support for specific items because much of the data on this case is scattered in countless news stories by different Knoxville media sites.
One comment -- the below excerpt states that the Newsom's have long believed that it was Eric Boyd who had raped and killed their son. I remember reading elsewhere the Newsom's developed this conclusion after speaking with detectives working the case.
Knox prosecutor doesn't shut the door on future charges in torture slayings
"Boyd is serving an 18-year federal prison sentence for hiding out Lemaricus Davidson, convicted and on death row as the ringleader of the slayings of Newsom, 23, and Christian, 21. The couple was carjacked at an apartment complex off Washington Pike, bound, held hostage, beaten, tortured, raped and slain. Davidson's brother, Letalvis Cobbins, is serving life without parole in the case, as is his friend, George Thomas. Cobbins' girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman, is serving 35 years. All three men implicated Boyd in the crimes. Boyd's own statement to authorities was rich in details, particularly about the carjacking, though he denied being there. Since the case's inception, federal and state authorities privately have been at odds over the state's failure to prosecute Boyd for murder, though bits of it have surfaced in the 10 years since all five suspects were arrested. Also from the start, Hugh Newsom and wife Mary Newsom have been convinced it was Boyd who raped their son, killed and burned him."
<snip>
"But Boyd insisted every detail he had came from Davidson while the two spent time together in the vacant house. There was one other bit of circumstantial evidence on Boyd's phone. DNA made clear it was Davidson and Cobbins who raped Christian. But the burning of Newsom's body destroyed DNA evidence in his rape. Boyd had images of gay *advertiser censored* on his phone."
<snip>
"David Jennings, a veteran federal prosecutor who now supervises an entire unit of prosecutors, has made no bones in court about his belief Boyd was with Davidson, Cobbins and Thomas when the couple was carjacked, in the house when the couple was forced inside, raped Newsom and helped drag him via a dog collar chain to his death. He does not speak publicly about the case."
