A former sports reporter and her husband were found dead from gunshot wounds in their Hoover, Alabama, home on December 16, 2025, in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide. Christina Chambers, 38, and Johnny Rimes Jr., 41, were discovered by a family member conducting a welfare check at their residence in the 700 block of Highland Manor Court.
Police responded to the scene at 9:03 a.m. after the family member found the couple unresponsive. Both Chambers and Rimes were pronounced dead at 9:12 a.m. The Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office determined the deaths likely occurred between 6:15 a.m. and 9:03 a.m.
The couple’s 3-year-old son, Constantine, was found unharmed inside the home. Investigators believe Rimes shot Chambers and then himself during a domestic assault incident. The family had been expected at a Christmas program at Prince of Peace Catholic School that morning but failed to appear, prompting a family member to conduct the welfare check.
Chambers had gone for her morning run and returned to the home around 6 a.m., according to investigators. An avid runner and former University of Alabama at Birmingham track and cross country athlete, Chambers maintained a regular exercise routine.
The Hoover Police Department confirmed detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances in conjunction with the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office, which will make the final determination on cause and manner of death.
Chambers joined WBRC Fox 6 News in November 2015, where she worked as a sports reporter. She left her full-time role in 2021 but continued freelance work through the 2025 football season, including serving as sideline reporter for the Super 7 high school football championships.
In 2021, when Chambers married Rimes, she also began a new career as a broadcast journalism teacher at Thompson High School, a position she held from 2021 to 2025. In 2024, she was named the Alabama Scholastic Press Association Advisor of the Year after being nominated by her students.
At the time of her death, Chambers worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. “She was a cherished colleague whose warmth and loving personality touched everyone she worked with,” according to a company spokesperson.
Rimes worked as an analyst at AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company until October 2022.
The news of Chambers’ death sent shockwaves through Alabama’s sports journalism community. “Her presence as a TV reporter/commentator on the sidelines of our AHSAA Super7 football championships and our State Basketball Championships and our TV network games of the week elevated each broadcast to another level,” said a longtime colleague.
The tragedy has left the Birmingham media community mourning the loss of a colleague known for her warmth, dedication and positive spirit. Former colleagues remembered her as someone who lit up every room she entered and made everyone around her better.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to piece together the circumstances that led to the deadly domestic incident in the quiet Hoover neighborhood.
