A 23-year-old man from Colorado has been charged with first-degree murder and sexual assault for killing a missing teen girl he claimed was his friend and whom he was actually trying to help police track down. Christopher Waide allegedly confessed to murdering Lea Chali Porter, who was 19, and whose body has yet to be found. Before Porter's boyfriend and brother reportedly visited Waide at his home and were successful in recording his confession on a hidden cell phone, the man had everyone fooled into thinking he was just as broken up about the teen's disappearance as her family and friends. He even agreed to be interviewed by a TV reporter AND help police find Porter.
Police say Porter and Waide knew each other from high school, but lost touch and reconnected through Facebook. On the evening that she was reported missing, the young woman reportedly had a fight with her boyfriend and drove to meet Waide at his apartment. When detectives interviewed him, Waide claimed the two had a falling out that night and that Porter took off. Her car; however, remained parked by his apartment complex.
Waide allegedly had no problem posting about the missing girl on his Facebook page, where he pleaded with her to return to her family. His story was so convinving that he was interviewed on television. Obviously, not everyone was fooled by his alibi. The fact that he was the last person to see Porter alive was enough for her brother and boyfriend to visit his home, secure a taped confession, and get Waide to reportedly take them to a neighborhood park, where he told them the murder took place.
Assuming Waide is guilty, it is not at all clear what his motive might have been. We don't know about their history as friends or about his mental state. We do know he is cooperating with police in helping to find Porter's body and, with hope, she will be found soon so that this poor family can get some kind of closure here.
Waide is being held without bail at the Adams County Jail.
Assuming he's guilty, are you surprised this man was able to make police and the media believe he was innocent?
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