Lysandra Marie Turpin, a California native, was reported missing in April of 1988, but officials had no information regarding her location for over two decades.
Finally, Lysandra’s bones were only discovered in 2010 and brought much-needed peace to her family.
‘Evil Lives Here: He Kept Her in a Tree Stump,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, details her murder and exposes how a terrifying eyewitness account finally helped law enforcement solve the cold case.
If you’re curious about what happened to Lysandra and want to know if her killer is still alive, we’ve got you covered.
See Also: Gary Thomas Murder Case: Where Are George and Noreen Kalomeris Today?
What Caused Lysandra Marie Turpin’s Death?
Lysandra Marie Turpin, a Humboldt County, California resident, was 27 years old when she was murdered.
People close to Lysandra described her as an energetic and kind-hearted girl who enjoyed spreading joy and was well-liked in her neighbourhood.
As a result, when she vanished in early 2010, the community came forward to assist the police in their search for the missing woman.
Lysandra went missing in April 1988, and despite intense investigations, no information concerning her location could be found.
Furthermore, the police had no leads to pursue, and the investigation came to a total halt. Despite the fact that no stone was left unturned in the investigation, Lysandra remained unaccounted for nearly 22 years until a phone call from Ernest Samuel Christie III in 2010 provided a significant breakthrough: the man informed authorities that his father, Ernest Samuel Christie Jr., was responsible for Lysandra’s death.
The authorities were able to collect human remains from a ditch in Fieldbrook, California, after receiving a tip from the man, which was ultimately identified as Lysandra’s through forensic testing.
Unfortunately, because an autopsy on the remains was not performed, the cause of death remained unknown.
Is Ernest Samuel Christie Jr. Dead in Lysandra Turpin Murder Case?
Ernest Samuel Christie Jr. did, in fact, pass away on June 29, 2006, from congestive heart failure.
Throughout his life, he was never convicted of a single crime and was always a free man. Christie Jr.’s son, Sam Christie, chose to come clean to the police a few years after his father’s death.
Sam said on the show that his father had been abusive to him since he was a child. Ernest expected his son to be strong at all times and to show no emotion or fear.
Ernest’s ambitions were quickly shattered when he began including his son in his crimes.
On at least two more times, Sam said he saw his father kidnap and terrorise women.
On the broadcast, he described how he once witnessed his father holding a lady imprisoned inside a tree stump, and how Ernest kidnapped and tied a woman to his fishing boat on another occasion.
Fortunately, both women were able to get away from their ordeal. Lysandra Marie Turpin, on the other hand, was not so fortunate, since she was taken hostage by Ernest at his home.
Sam Christie claimed that he saw his father torture and abuse Lysandra for weeks as her condition deteriorated.
Ernest violently murdered Lysandra in June of 1988, according to the episode, by repeatedly beating her with a blunt weapon before forcing Sam to become an accessory to the murder.
Sam was forced to take his father to an abandoned field, where they dug a hole, stuffed the body inside, and set fire to it using car tyres.
Sam was forced to remain silent by horror and intimidation, and he was only able to speak openly with the police after Ernest died in 2006.
What Has Happened to Sam Christie?
After Ernest Christie died in 2006, Sam Christie’s grief about his father’s crimes consumed him. He acknowledged to being ashamed of his silence for so long, and in 2010, he finally phoned the cops and told them everything.
Authorities were able to recover Lysandra’s remains and bring closure to her family thanks to his tip.
Despite the fact that Sam was in danger of being charged as an accessory to Ernest’s crimes, the police treated him as a victim of abuse and did not pursue legal action.
Sam Christie is currently divorced, but he chooses to remain anonymous. However, according to a 2010 article, Sam was living in North Carolina at the time.
Nonetheless, it appears that Sam has managed to construct a life surrounded by close friends and family who have supported him in his battle against his old demons, and we wish him all the best in the years ahead.