A beloved sports reporter who departed the airwaves to pursue teaching was found dead at her Alabama home alongside her husband in a suspected murder-suicide — with their 3-year-old son nearby.
Christina Chambers, a former WBRC 6 sports reporter, and her husband, Johnny Rimes, were discovered at their family home in Hoover shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, WBRC confirmed.
The couple’s 3-year-old son was also at the home, but he was unharmed, according to the Hoover Police Department.
Cops suspect the two died in “a murder/suicide,” but noted they are still investigating. Both sustained gunshot wounds, the department said.
Chambers, a celebrated reporter and broadcast journalism teacher at Thompson High School, was highly regarded by the community and was even honored with the Alabama Scholastic Press Association Advisor of the Year award in 2024, according to her Facebook.
The Alabaster City Schools highlighted Chambers’ “meaningful connections” and “dedication” to her students that helped push the burgeoning broadcast program to new heights.
During her tenure, Chambers helped Thompson High School earn a coveted journalism sustainability award, mentored two students who would be named the Alabama Journalists of the Year, led her team to a SkillsUSA State Championship in Broadcast News, and brought home two All-Alabama Overall Broadcast Awards, according to a statement shared with WBRC 6.
“As a beloved member of the Warrior Nation Network, Christina brought her deep knowledge and love of sports reporting to Friday nights, leaving a lasting impression on students, colleagues, and viewers alike,” Dr. Wayne Vickers, the superintendent for Alabaster City Schools, wrote.
“She was a cherished part of the Warrior family, and we extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all who are grieving this profound loss.”
Chambers joined WBRC 6 in 2015 and became a mainstay on its “Sideline” segment, which gives local sports the primetime treatment with live coverage on the field.
She also helped anchor other aspects of sports coverage in the field — including the very marathons in which she would be racing, the outlet reported.
Chambers pivoted to teaching full-time in 2021, but stayed with WBRC 6 as a freelance reporter for “Sideline” during the most recent football season.
Before finding her home at WBRC 6, Chambers bounced from WLTZ NBC38 in Columbus, Georgia to the Comcast Sports Southeast in Atlanta. With CSS, she covered Auburn University sports — and continued to support the Tigers long after her departure, according to her Facebook.
Chambers made a point to stick by her alma mater, University of Alabama, Birmingham, through thick and thin. In her final post on Facebook, she lauded the Blazers with praise for their hard-earned victory in the “Battle of the Bones.”
While attending UAB, Chambers marked four years on the school’s D1 track and field team, according to her profile. She graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s in journalism.
Chambers also frequently participated in various marathons around the world and boasted three finishes in the Boston Marathon, with plans to run for a fourth time in 2026.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
