Christopher Gribble: Machete Murders “Kind of Cool,” Even Though He “Didn’t Really Feel Much of Anything”
Christopher Gribble
This is the man — already a holder of the Mormon “priesthood” — who came thisclose to becoming a Mormon missionary sent out to knock on the doors of strangers in order to sell his religion:
“I used to make up ‘kill lists’ in my room and hide them so that my mom wouldn’t find them because I figured that would probably be a bad thing if she found them.”
“I carefully put the knife in. I stabbed her once or twice in the chest. Somehow she started to pull away from me. I remember at some point she said, ‘Why are you doing this?’”
“I’ll be honest with you. I can’t say I was sorry about it. I just felt nothing. It was kind of cool because it was different. But I’m not really sure if I have a conscience anymore.”
In January, Christopher Gribble, 21, of Brookline, Massachusetts, former Cub Scout & would-be Mormon missionary, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the 2009 home invasion and knife-and-machete attack that left 42-year-old Kimberly Cates dead and her 11-year-old daughter Jamie critically injured.
He’s still hoping the jury will find him not guilty by reason of insanity, although — even while he appears to be attempting to establish insanity with odd behaviors during his trial (that is, odd behaviors any of us could pick up out of a first-year abnormal-psych text) — any question of legal insanity is in deep doubt. (See: “Analyst: Gribble Fared Poorly In Cross-Examination; Legal Expert Says Gribble Appeared Sane When Sparring With Prosecutor,” WMUR, March 16, 2011; “Psychiatrist testifies Gribble not insane,” Nashua Telegraph, March 22, 2011)
But there’s no question of his actual guilt: On March 23, 2011, jurors heard the audiotape of Gribble’s seven-hour-long confession to police, in which the remorseless home invader described the murders in horrifying, excruciating detail, adding that he was “disappointed he didn’t feel more of an adrenaline rush” — while he “maintained that he’s a nice guy — a gentleman — and said he didn’t do any more to Kim and Jamie Cates than he thought was absolutely necessary.”
Meanwhile, over a three-day stretch on the witness stand, Gribble — unnervingly calm — agreed that if he were ever freed, it was possible he could kill again:
Reports Sify News:
Prosecutor Jeffery Strelzin asked him if he acted “purposely” when he attacked Kimberly Cates.“It’s hard not be purposeful doing something like that, when you stick a knife in someone,” Gribble replied. …
Strelzin showed Gribble a receipt for the jewelry he stole from the Cates home and pawned the next day for $130.62.
“So that’s how much Kim’s life was worth to you?” Strelzin asked.
“That’s an interesting way to put it, but, yes,” Gribble said.
And when Strelzin asked him “why he often wore a quirky grin,” Gribble replied: “I smile because all the people in there have no idea who they’re messing with.”
The trial, incidentally, is being televised live — and, if this letter to the Concord Monitor is any indication, locals are out for blood:
“It wouldn’t cost much to buy a rope, find a tree and old-fashioned hangings are back — free entertainment and a lot less than paying to keep them in prison.”
Stay tuned. In the meantime, here’s more to read:
“Machete Attack Suspect: I Made Kill Lists,” WCVB, March 15, 2011
“Gribble declares he might kill again, if freed,” Boston Globe, March 17, 2011
“Gribble’s father: son was offended,” Union Leader, March 17, 2011
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