Viswa Vanapalli
In February 2008, Christopher Duncan’s sudden disappearance led his family on a desperate search while tracking his whereabouts. But their worst nightmare came true just days later when they located his dead body. Investigation Discovery’s ‘See No Evil: Call Me Back, Chris’ chronicles how surveillance footage from various locations proved instrumental in solving the case. So, if you’re wondering who was responsible for Chris’ death, we’ve got you covered.
How Did Christopher Duncan Die?
Christopher Allen Duncan was an Odessa, Texas, native close to his mother, Leah Mercer. The 23-year-old was described as a compassionate young man who had a soft spot for homeless people and helped them out whenever he could. At the time of the incident, he lived with his partner, Jason, in San Antonio, Texas. On February 4, 2008, the couple was hanging out at home when Chris left around 11:30 PM to buy some beer. That was the last time Jason saw Chris.
When Jason called him shortly after midnight, Chris said he met a few people and was going to drink with them. The last time they spoke was around 12:57 AM. Jason soon went to sleep, but there was no sign of Chris in the morning. About four days later, on February 8, 2008, Chris’ loved ones found his body under a tarp in a wooded area behind a local Walmart. He had multiple cuts, chops, and blunt force injuries on his body, with a wound on the neck that cut the trachea and a vertebral artery.
Who Killed Christopher Duncan?
The morning after Chris disappeared, a worried Jason contacted Leah, and they began scouring the area. That day, Jason learned from his bank about suspicious purchases at the local Target. The family and authorities were eventually able to view the footage to see two people — a man and a woman — who used Chris’ card to buy clothes and shoes. On February 8, 2008, an employee from a local store identified the woman from the footage and directed the family to a wooded area behind the Walmart.
The employee said it was a homeless camp, and the woman was seen there. The family found Chris’ body in the same area, and the authorities soon descended on the place. They decided the best way to find out who did it was to track Chris’ card since it was being used by someone else. On February 5, the card was used at a local restaurant to buy food and alcohol. Furthermore, there was another purchase at Walmart on the same day, all seemingly made by the same duo.
The police finally had a lead on February 28, 2008, when they were led to a man named Robert White in Corpus Christi, Texas. According to the show, he had information regarding the murder that wasn’t yet released to the general public. Eventually, he agreed to talk about what happened on the night of Chris’ slaying. Robert met two people, later identified as Thomas Ahrens and his girlfriend, Kristi Tebo, while drinking beer at an intersection. All of them were homeless; they later met Chris and decided to hang out at Thomas and Kristi’s campsite.
They continued drinking until, at some point, Robert said Chris hit him in the nose. He was too drunk to remember what started it but admitted he might have said something that angered Chris. During the altercation, Robert claimed Chris fell on the tent where Kristi was sleeping. Then, Thomas began kicking Chris and asked Kristi for a machete.
According to Robert, he began attacking Chris repeatedly. He said even Kristi used the machete on him once, allegedly saying, “Well, are you going to hurry up and (expletive) die?” They eventually ended up in Corpus Christi, where they were arrested. Security footage from Walmart showed Thomas and Kristi buying a machete on the afternoon of February 4, 2008, and the authorities believed that was the murder weapon.
Where is Thomas Ahrens Now?
Robert took a deal and agreed to testify for the prosecution in exchange for a lighter sentence. He pled guilty to murder and received five to 25 years in prison. Thomas’ defense claimed Robert was lying, and it was difficult to say who the killer was that night. Ultimately, though, his testimony meant that Thomas was convicted of murder.
In January 2011, then 36 years old, he was sentenced to 45 years behind bars. In May 2011, Kristi was sentenced to 50 years in prison after being found guilty of murder. Records indicate that Thomas remains incarcerated at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit in Gatesville, Texas. He will be eligible for parole in August 2030.
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