Court documents reveal how murdered mother tried to escape abuse

CALGARY- As a memorial grows at the site where a Calgary mother was stabbed to death, more details are emerging about how she tried to escape the domestic abuse situation that ultimately killed her.

55-year-old Carmel Christians was killed early Wednesday morning, allegedly by her estranged husband who was waiting for her as she left for work. Her friend, who she’d been living with, was also seriously injured in the assault.

Christians worked at Advantage Ford for more than three decades, and news of the loyal employee’s death hit staff hard.

“It was awful,” says general manager Greg Eagleson. “Crying and screaming, everything you could imagine all happened at once.”

Christians’ estranged husband James is wanted in connection with her death and remains on the run. Police consider him armed and dangerous—something Carmel herself had been worried about.

On September 3, she testified in a hearing for an emergency protection order against him, describing the abuse she suffered.

“He had threatened to take a sledge hammer and destroy everything in the house and then he got a gas can…he poured gasoline in front of me, and then he said he was going to burn the house down.

“…his two hands around my neck and tried to strangle me…I tried to get away…he finally just walked up to me and punched me in face.

“Even with the restraining order, I still fear for my life…”

Shortly after, she moved in with her friend and was in contact with police and social workers. James was ordered not to be within 500 metres of his wife.

“This is an accused individual who allegedly had an intention of getting at her, and there’s very little legislatively or otherwise that could be done,” says Kevin McNichol from HomeFront, which works to end domestic violence. “We have to remember our courts are built on the presumption of innocence.”

An investigation may be launched into whether or not James Christians’ risk to offend was properly assessed.

“Depending on the nature of the case and level of threat or risk, police might monitor some offenders,” McNichol explains. “This case didn’t have those markers at the outset to indicate it would warrant that invasion of this person’s privacy.

“Obviously in hindsight you want to think you could do more, and we will be working with our partners to find out if there’s more that could have been done.”