Kriti Mehrotra
ID’s ‘The Killer Beside Me’ is a true-crime series that utilizes both re-enactments and interviews to profile those brutal homicides that transpired within the workplace. From unexpected power plays to romantic feelings turned sour, all kinds of motives are highlighted here, only to expose the fact that we rarely know the actuality of the people we’re unwittingly surrounded by. Thus, its season 1 episode 3, aptly entitled ‘The Evil Inside,’ exploring the 2008 murder of Kerri Harris, is no different. And now, if you’re curious to know the details about the same, we’ve got you covered.
How Did Kerri Harris Die?
At the age of 31, Kerri Harris was an ambitious, intelligent, and strong woman who had created a good life in DeKalb County, Georgia. She had actually moved to the area from her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, in 2006 for better opportunities, blissfully unaware that she would lose her life in two years. Therefore, by 2008, Kerri was excited about just having obtained her master’s degree and landing a big promotion at Cargill as a Quality Assurance Manager. She’d continued to be kind and warm, though, which is why her June 26 slaying came as a complete shock.
Shortly after noon on that fateful day, co-workers in the middle of a lunchtime meeting mere feet away heard Kerri scream inside her office. But by the time anyone rushed to her door — seconds later — it was already too late. She had been stabbed in the back and neck with a butcher’s knife from the facility’s test kitchen and was lying on the floor unresponsive. What’s worse is that the weapon was still stuck in her neck, making it clear that the assailant was in a rush to get the job done and flee. The first blow to her back ended her life by piercing her heart, as per reports.
Who Killed Kerri Harris?
Once authorities arrived, Kerri Harris’ co-workers informed them that they’d witnessed another Cargill employee, Craig Armstead, rush away from the scene following the incident. He couldn’t be located in the office or anywhere nearby, so a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) was put out. After all, it was no secret that he liked Kerri and had often bought her gifts or baked her goods even though she’d made it clear that she wasn’t interested in dating him (or anyone else) in the workplace. Thankfully, Craig was pulled over by officers in Tucker and charged in the matter the next day.
It subsequently came to light that the last straw for Craig was not only Kerri’s public rejection but also his fear of facing the law. On that fateful June morning, the Quality Assurance Manager and another female co-worker had found a camera in the women’s washroom, pointing right towards the toilets. It was concealed under some products inside a makeup bag, yet the red flashing light gave it away. Hence, they went to Human Resources, who, in turn, contacted the police to start an investigation into the same. Craig was the one who had set up the camera, driving him to do something much worse.
With over 1,000 hours of footage from the washroom downloaded on his hard drive, Craig knew it was only a matter of time before he was uncovered for good. He thus grew agitated and ended up slaying Kerri, believing that she was responsible for all his problems. We should mention that this was not the first time he committed a crime or let his violent tendencies take over. Craig had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of legal insanity for beating his girlfriend to death in 1990, for which he served five years. Then, in 1999, after he’d moved to Georgia, Craig was convicted in a peeping tom case.
Where is Craig Armstead Now?
Craig Armstead stood trial in connection to Kerri Harris’ homicide in August 2010. After a few days of testimonies and deliberations, a jury found him guilty of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime, and 18 different counts of unlawful eavesdropping and surveillance. He was handed a life sentence for the murder conviction, plus an additional 65 years for the rest of the counts. Therefore, today, in his early 50s, he’s incarcerated at the close-security Augusta State Medical Prison in Augusta, Georgia.
Read More: Lovetta Armstead Murder: Where is Gary Green Now?
