Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Christopher James (age 49), with a last known address of 207 Rhodes Street, Providence, received a life sentence today for the February 27, 2013 murder of his ex-wife, 46-year-old Terry Chiodo.
James was found guilty of first degree murder by a jury in March after a seven-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Sarah Taft-Carter.
"Terry Chiodo did everything she could to escape the abuse and terror of Christopher James, yet he tracked her down and murdered her in cold blood. No person should have to ever live in fear of dying at the hands of their abuser," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "We don't think that violent crimes happen in our small, close-knit communities like Portsmouth, but this case is a stark reminder of the devastation caused by domestic violence and that it is a crime that knows no geographic or cultural boundaries."
During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that James stabbed Terry Chiodo just after she boarded a RIPTA bus at about 6:15 a.m. on February 27, 2013 on Bristol Ferry Road in Portsmouth.
Ms. Chiodo was on her way to work that morning at the Subway sandwich shop in Newport. The defendant, who resided in Providence, boarded the #60 RIPTA bus at Kennedy Plaza before the fatal encounter and traveled to Portsmouth. The stabbing occurred shortly after Ms. Chiodo had boarded the bus at her usual stop outside the Portsmouth Senior Center.
During the trial, witnesses testified that they remember seeing Ms. Chiodo and the defendant whispering, possibly arguing, before the fatal stabbing. In addition, witnesses saw the defendant stand and pull the yellow cord that is used to indicate a desire to stop the bus. As the bus came to a stop, witnesses saw the defendant hit Ms. Chiodo, possibly punching her. A few moments later, the victim screamed, "He just stabbed me."
Passengers Douglas Gomes and Andre Gatlin, both whom testified during the trial, acted quickly and restrained the defendant. The bus driver, Elizabeth Russell, called E-911 and RIPTA dispatch to inform them of the situation.
Passenger Rebecca Benjamin tended to Ms. Chiodo until emergency personnel arrived. She was transported to Rhode Island Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
Kilmartin praised the RIPTA bus driver and passengers for their swift reaction on that fateful morning. "While unable to save Terry's life, these individuals put their own lives at risk to help a stranger by stopping and detaining James and offering Terry comfort and solace until emergency personnel arrived on scene. Their quick and compassionate actions that morning and their testimony at trial of the events as they unfolded on February 27, 2013 helped ensure that Christopher James would be held responsible for his crime," he added.
Data extraction of James' cell phone revealed a text message the defendant sent to the victim the night before the murder in which he texted, "Consider yourself dead you will never see your grandkids grow."
While the defense argued that James suffered from multiple psychiatric conditions, the State's expert witness, Dr. Martin Kelly, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Forensic Psychiatrist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, testified that James did not suffer from any mental condition that diminished his capacity to form the intent to murder.
Portsmouth Police Detective Michael Arnold investigated the case and Assistant Attorney General John E. Corrigan prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.