It’s a bedroom untouched by time.
There are memories in the shape of trophies and pictures and a stack of laundry still where it was placed a decade ago.
The bed in the room has been empty since Chris Newsom last slept in it. His room reveals his likes, his loves and his dreams never fulfilled.
It’s Hugh and Mary Newsom’s shrine to their son.
“It’s hard to come up here because you expect him to be here, “ Mary Newsom said 10 years after she learned her son would never again come home.
On Jan. 7, 2007, Chris and his girlfriend Channon Christian were carjacked and taken to a home that once stood on Chipman Street. They were tortured and eventually murdered.
Juries convicted Lemaricus Davidson, Latalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman. They were all sentenced to decades behind bars. Davidson, who was considered the ringleader, received the death penalty.
But the Newsom’s say justice has still not been served. They say that will come when Eric Boyd is tried for Chris and Channon’s murders.
Boyd was convicted in federal court for being an accessory after the fact, and is now serving an 18 year prison sentence. He’s set to be released from prison in 2022.
The Knox County District Attorney’s office refused to pursue a murder case against him because of lack of evidence.
“I respect their position but I don’t respect that decision," Hugh Newsom said.
The Newsoms have an ally in a convicted felon turned writer and journalist.
Kelvin Cowans reached out to them in 2014 and launched his own investigation into the murders.
Cowans actually has a past with Davidson. They got to know each other at a West Tennessee Prison in the early 2000’s. Cowans was released in 2004 and turned to a life of writing.
In 2012 he recounted his time with Davidson behind bars in an eBook titled “The Most Evil Person I Ever Met.” He’s since written Part 2. Based on his research, Cowan links Eric Boyd directly to the murders of Channon and Chris.
“We have no idea what these two kids could have become,” Cowans said. “We have no idea and he took that from us. Not only did they take them from us, they snatched them. “
The Newsoms hope Cowans’ words will elevate their voices.
“We will never have full closure until Eric Boyd is behind bars for life,” said Mary Newsom.
They thought closure would come in December 2015. The Newsoms wrote a letter to Letalvis Cobbins who is serving time in a West Tennessee Prison for the murders. He agreed to meet with them.
The Newsoms traveled there and asked Cobbins if he would testify against Eric Boyd. Cobbins said he would. But disappointment came at the next meeting with Cobbins when he told the Newsoms he had changed his mind about testifying.
So for now, just as they have for the last decade, the Newsoms live life as if Chris is still with them. His pictures are within eye shot and his truck is in the same spot he always parked it in front of their house.
“He’s still a part of us. He’ll be a part of us," Mary Newsom said.
A Change.org petition now has 1,600 signatures seeking the indictment of Eric Boyd.